The Breakup
by PurdyBaby
Summary: Inuyasha is split in two by a derranged Kikyo. The group fears the worst but the bigger question soon becomes clear. Which Inuyasha is going to be a bigger pain in the ass? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**XXXXX**

 **The Break Up**

 **XXXXX**

Going to see Kikyo was hard enough without everyone acting like it was some form of ultimate betrayal. Everyone acting like I'm the fucking stupidest, heartless bastard that ever walked the earth because I haven't made, in their minds, the clear, _easy_ choice to love Kagome instead of some foul smelling, corpse.

Are they fucking blind or just plain stupid? Of _course_ I fucking love that pain in the ass. Anyone that has fucking eyes knows I love her. I don't fucking fight with just anyone. You don't see me trying to get Sango to stay when she needs to fix her weapon or when Miroku has to repair his wind tunnel. The only one I don't want going anywhere without me is _her_. Yeah, that sounds fucking possessive and it's not the best way to go about things but I don't know any other way to be. That bitch is a fucking magnet for anything that might want to kill her within a fifty mile radius and it's not just because of the jewel shards. I don't know what she does to attract that kind of attention but just the thought of her being unprotected makes my hair stand on end. The others don't see that I go through the well every night when she's over there and protect her while she sleeps, not that I want them to know. I am self-aware enough to know that's creepy as shit. Also, how the hell do they think we keep making camp near hot springs? Because I know how much that stupid girl loves bathing so I make sure we're near one to make her happy. When I catch something to eat, I prepare it before bringing it to her because she doesn't like seeing me gut the "cute" bunny or what have you in front of her. I fucking almost die or get maimed in some way for her three or four times a week. I do all that and _more_.

Yet wouldn't you know it? All they focus on is me going to see Kikyo. They don't care that I always come back. It never occurs to them that if I really loved her and didn't give a shit about Kagome I would've left to join Kikyo a long ass time ago to search for the jewel shards but have I? No and no plans to do so in the future either. I go see Kikyo because **one** , that bitch is _insane_. How many fucking times has she tried to kill me, my friends or Kagome? How many times has she joined forces with Naraku? We need to know if she's planning some crazy shit or what she's up to so I've been throwing _myself_ on that sword.

Now, **two** , that's not to say that I don't care about her. She was the first person to ever really talk to me since my mother died, the only one to care whether I lived or die. Shit, she was the only person to even ask my _name_. She deserves better than what she got in life. It _isn't_ fair. I go to her because she doesn't deserve to be all alone in the world. I know that feeling all too well and it _sucks_. All I want is for her to find peace and so, _yeah_ , sometimes I'm affectionate and _yeah_ , I care whether she lives or dies. Yet I'm _heartless_ because I still care and I haven't professed my undying love for Kagome. That ain't me. That isn't how I do shit. I've shown it, not my fucking fault you assholes are blind.

Sometimes I think the others, Kagome especially, misread what I'm doing. For example, when we were fighting that crazy ass moth demon overlord. My heart nearly fucking stopped when I smelled Kagome's blood and Kikyo's scent wrapped up together near the Sacred Tree. What do I get when I come flying to the rescue? Accused of only giving a shit about Kikyo. Bitch, I came for _you_ but _whatever_.

In the beginning, sure I picked Kikyo over Kagome. _Why_ you may ask? Because I'd known Kagome for like a month and I liked her, _a lot_ , which was _very_ problematic and confusing. They look the fucking same! Did I like Kagome or did I like Kikyo? Did I only like Kagome because she looked like Kikyo? Hell if I knew and that wouldn't be fair to her so I picked the one where I knew where I stood. They kept saying it was fifty years ago but bitch, it was like what two or three weeks for me and the end was quite traumatic. All you assholes keep acting like you're able to rebound that quickly but _I'm_ the heartless one. Fuck you. That was almost a year ago now. I've gotten over it. I've moved on and I'm **_not_** a _bastard_ because I still want to make sure Kikyo is doing alright.

Speak of which, where is she? I've been following this stupid soul collector forever.

"Inuyasha. I've been waiting. What kept you?"

 **XXXXX**

"Kagome-chan, he'll be back soon," Sango soothed as she waved a small fish in front of her nose before she lowered it and sighed, "You should eat _something_. There's no need to…"

 ** _-BOOM-_**

"What on earth was that!?" Miroku exclaimed as he shot to his feet and stared at the strange purple light emanating from the forest, "Isn't that the direction Inuyasha went? We should go."

"Right," Kagome sighed as she got to her feet and grabbed her bow, "Even if Kikyo is there, this looks pretty serious."

As the inutaichi mounted Kirara and took off towards the ominous purple light, their eyes widened in disbelief and horror.

In the center of the clearing, from which the purple light shone, lay two Inuyashas in between a rather pleased looking Kikyo.

One clearly human, the other clearly not.


	2. Chapter 2

**XXXXX**

 **The Break Up**

 **XXXXX**

"Kikyo! Do you even _know_ what you've _done_?!" Kagome screamed as she launched herself at the hanyou-turned-human, "Have you even _seen_ Inuyasha's demon side? He's mindless! He's a murdering..."

"I can hear you, you know that don't cha?" a grovely, deep voice came from the other side of the clearing, "I'm not _deaf_."

"You can talk!" Kagome squeaked before quickly clapping her hand across her mouth and clutching a little tighter at the human Inuyasha's firerat robe.

"No shit," the full demon snorted as he pushed himself up and shook himself off before throwing the stunned miko a side eyed glare, "What I _don't_ understand is why the fuck you guys _aren't_ killing that bitch _before_ she kills me?!"

Kagome merely gaped at the full demon and blinked rapidly in reply before turning a frantic gaze down at the human in her lap who had yet to regain consciousness, "Wha-he can...Kikyo, how did you do this? I don't understand. What's the point in allowing him to talk?"

"Hey! The fuck you mean _allow_..." the silver haired demon began before Kikyo cut him off.

"The point is that I get what I want. I shall take the human Inuyasha with me and you can keep," Kikyo sighed and paused before waving generically at the now seething demon across the clearing, " _ **that**_."

Before Kagome or any of the others could even react, a loud, boisterous laugh echoed all around them.

"Bitch, you gotta be shitting me!" the silver haired demon snorted, "You expect me, _either_ one of me, to come with you and leave our _pack_! You're an even crazier bitch than I thought you were!"

"I could strike you down with one blow," Kikyo hissed as she began to walk towards Kagome holding the humanoid Inuyasha, ignoring the growing growl.

"Bitch, if you kill one of us, the other goes too. Plus, my pack'd kill you if you killed me so you've got a choice to make," Inuyasha began snidely before his face faltered and he whipped an irate crimson glare at the others when Sango and Shippo muttered unintelligibly under their breath, "You idiots _better_ avenge me! Shit, some pack you are! This bitch has been trying to kill me since day one! Don't be muttering under your breath I _wouldn't_ want you to kill her! Why would I _love_ someone set on wiping me off the map!? Didn't think of that did ya?"

As Sango and Shippo blanched, Kikyo rolled her eyes as she folded her arms in front of her chest and sighed, " _You_ may not love me, but your human side most certainly does. We were betrothed and I expect he will rejoice once he's discovered he is free of you."

"Bitch, don't make me murder you," Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he sighed in an exasperated tone, "I don't want to make it a habit to kill humans, no sport in it."

" _ **HOLD IT**_!" Kagome finally shouted, seemingly getting over her initial shock before pointing an accusatory finger at the demonic version of her friend, "You can talk!"

"Yes, we've been over this. Thank you," Inuyasha sneered sarcastically as he arched his brow. Kagome threw her hands up in the air as she growled out, "You've never talked before so don't act like this is normal. All any of us have ever seen is you taking over and going on murder sprees so don't act like we're just supposed to trust you!"

"Its not my fault!" the demonic Inuyasha spluttered as Kikyo merely stood staring incredulously at the two who had seemingly forgotten she was there, "He fights me tooth and nail when I come out to get _shit_ **_done_**. Every time he's let me out, its because he's injured or about to be defeated. I take care of the _threat_ and _yeah_ , I don't get to come often so _maybe_ I have a little fun with it. That ain't a crime. Ask that fucking wolf how many people he's killed in his day and then come judge me, bitch!"

"Leave Koga out of this and stop calling me bitch!" Kagome bellowed as she clutched human Inuyasha a little closer, "I'm not a bitch! I..."

"This is all ridiculous. Merely give me..." Kikyo began before her eyes widened and she took a step back when the full blooded demon took a menacing step foward and flashed his claws.

"Were we _talkin_ ' to _**you**_?" Inuyasha snarled condescendingly at a now red faced and completely bewildered Kikyo before turning back to Kagome, "Now bitch listen here! You _know_..."

"Excuse me, I think we should take this discussion... _elsewhere_ ," Miroku cleared his throat and chimed in, having watched the events unfolding with a mix of amusement and horror, "Your, um, human half most likely needs to recover."

"Probably right. He's just a useless piece of shit," demonic Inuyasha snorted as he walked over and kicked the ebony haired human lightly, "Can't take him anywhere."

"And you shall not!" Kikyo screamed angrily as she pulled her bow and nocked an arrow, "Leave him or die!"

"Are those our only options?" silver haired Inuyasha quipped back as he snorted and folded his arms in front of his chest, "You're just going to kill us both after everything we've been through because you didn't get your _way_? Are you a _child_ or _just_ evil?"

In that moment, the snort that Sango had been suppressing burst free and she leaned against a tree in an attempt to support herself as she continued to cackle and tears streamed down her face. It wasn't funny. It _really_ wasn't. Kikyo could literally kill them in a heartbeat and yet all she could do was laugh at this bizarre turn of events.

"Fine!" Kikyo scowled as laughter began to slowly trickle and break free in the group surrounding her. Lowering her bow, she huffed once and turned to leave but not before attempting to have the last word, "Mark my words, I shall return and take whats mine."

"See ya," the silver haired demon snorted as he half heartedly raised his hand in farewell and leaned against the nearest tree, "Now get the fuck out of here."


	3. Chapter 3

**XXXXX**

 **The Break Up**

 **XXXXX**

"She could've _killed_ you. You do know that, right?" Kagome huffed as she trudged along behind the demon carrying his human half, "You _can't_ just insult her like that."

"She _wouldn't've_ killed me, bitch," Inuyasha scoffed as he glanced over his shoulder, "If she killed _me_ , then he'd be dead _too_."

"How is it you even _know_ that? Maybe she can kill one of you without hurting the other?" Kagome snapped, "You don't even…"

" _Bitch_. If you're going to sit there and tell me my instincts are _wrong,_ you've got another thing coming," Inuyasha growled out as he sighed and slung his human half over his shoulder, "It's _obvious_. Otherwise, she would've just vaporized me the first chance she got."

"Still shouldn't've talked to her that way," Kagome mumbled as she adjusted her ten ton yellow backpack, "Doesn't do _either_ of you any favors."

"Worst thing she can do is take this asshole and go on her merry way," the demon growled, "Only reason I _didn't_ let her is because we've got a figure a way to undo this bullshit and put us back together."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd want that," Kagome smirked as she shot a skeptical look at the back of his head, "Seeing as how your life mission not too long ago was going full demon, I mean."

"Well, maybe one day but this ain't it," the demon sighed dejectedly, "Can't wield Tessaiga like this and I sure as hell can't risk this worthless sack of shit dying on me. We've got Naraku to beat. So its either bide my time until we kill Naraku and complete the jewel or…or wait until he lets me take control willingly."

"Why would he let you in control _willingly_? No offense but you terrify him," Kagome whispered incredulously, completely missing the pitying look mixed with strange longing the demon threw her over his shoulder.

"I can think of a few reasons," Inuyasha whispered quietly before looking ahead once more and letting out a long sigh, "He doesn't know me. Hell, he doesn't even _want_ to know me but I know him. If he didn't want to remember something anymore, if he wanted to take the coward's way out, I'd get control."

Rolling his eyes, when he heard Kagome huff, he set his jaw and threw a side-eyed glare over his shoulder. "You know, you guys act like I'm gunna turn on you all at any minute but I'm really not like that. Miroku, Sango and Shippo are flying way above us on the off chance I decide to murder all of you but ya know what? I'm still Inuyasha, just…I guess _more_ demon than I was yesterday. "

"Yeah, but every time we've, uh, met you or this side of you….you've, well, you've kinda gone on a killing spree," Kagome began hesitantly, "I mean, are you telling me that' we should just forget that, or that you didn't actually kill those people or…or…what _exactly_ are you saying here?"

"Listen bitch, even I can't fight a battle on two fronts," the silver haired Inuyasha growled as he sent a withering glare at his comatose counterpart, "He fights me _hard_ when I come out to the point where neither of us has full control. He struggles so desperately to regain control that it's all I can do to eliminate the threat, much less make heads of tails of anyone, friend _or_ foe."

"You kill a _lot_ of people and it _bothers_ you once you're done," Kagome whispered as she bit her lip and furrowed her brow, "It _really_ bothers you and…and you aren't _always_ killing an _enemy_. Sometimes you've killed _anyone_ in your path, innocent or not."

"Well, like I said," the demon sighed darkly before pausing and meeting Kagome's eyes for a split second before abruptly turning his gaze ahead. Keeping her eyes on his taut jawline, Kagome paused mid-step and tilted her head in confusion. If she didn't know better, she could've _sworn_ she saw a flicker of fear and regret dance through those crimson eyes. Swallowing thickly, the demon cast her another furtive glance and continued, "I can't tell who needs killing and who doesn't in those situations. All I know is when he lets me out it means I'm dying. I don't feel pain as much when I'm a full demon so I can just keep going and going and going. And I won't lie, I don't hesitate and it doesn't bother me when I kill humans like it does him. I just get shit done. We're the same but at the same time, we're different."

Intrigued Kagome doubled her pace to walk beside him and glanced up into his crimson eyes. Shooting her a quick glance, he quickly turned his gaze steadfastly ahead, "I'm the only who has to deal with what we can't handle as we normally are. There've been times I've been in control for _years_ , not that he remembers. There are just some things the human me doesn't want to remember. Things he can't handle and that's where I come in."

"You said you've been in control for years before," Kagome whispered anxiously, " _Why_? Were you dying or seriously injured or…"

"He couldn't handle what happened" demonic Inuyasha stated blunted, effectively cutting her off, "Doesn't matter why."

For a moment, they walked together in a comfortable silence before Kagome laughed.

"You're different than I thought you'd be," Kagome grinned as she cast him a warm glance, "I was worried there'd be a _massacre_ but you're not so bad,"

As the demon snorted in reply, Kagome paused for a minute and chewed the inside of her cheek as they continued walking side by side, " I can't think of _anything_ you guys wouldn't be able to handle. Even with that whole Kikyo thing, you guys seemed to cope okay if you count, you know, destroying the village as coping. He didn't let you come out and kill everyone, I mean. It's hard to imagine a scenario that you'd lose your mind."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. We can handle a lot," demonic Inuyasha nodded as he cast her a quick, almost wistful glance, "But _everyone_ has a weakness."


	4. Chapter 4

**XXXXX**

 **The Break Up**

 **XXXXX**

 **"I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU ASSHOLES! I CAN FUCKING HEAR YOU. I. AM. NOT. _DEAF_!"**

Miroku set his jaw and gave the demonic version of his friend a long glare. There had to be some ulterior motive for why this version of Inuyasha was hanging around, whether it be by Kikyo's design or his own. From what he had seen of the full blooded Inuyasha in the past and from all that they had learned, his youkai blood was unstable. Tessaiga was what kept him on control, yet to hear this one talk the only reason that it was an issue at all was because the human half was just a giant coward. It just didn't add up.

"Well, perhaps you can answer a few questions and put our minds at ease," Miroku offered as he settled down near the campfire, "You have offered up your side of the story and now you should have the decency to hear ours."

"Fine," the demon spat back as he plopped down and rested his chin on his palm, "Fire away."

"You wished to become a full demon and were prepared to steal the jewel from Lady Kagome. Indeed, you threatened to kill her and Lady Kikyo as well if I understand correctly. Why, exactly, would you do such a thing if your human half feared you?" Miroku asked bluntly as Sango clutched Kirara to her chest and sat down beside him.

"First off, if I _really_ wanted to kill them I easily could have but I didn't. I _could've_ stolen the jewel while they slept but I didn't. Why am I being interrogated here? You guys know me!" Inuyasha spluttered angrily before his face faltered when Miroku clicked his tongue and kept a neutral expression.

"We knew who you _used_ to be. You, _however_ , are unfamiliar and you are avoiding my question," Miroku stated flatly, "Why would you wish to become a full demon if your human half feared this part of you?"

"Ever heard of low self esteem?" the demon snorted sarcastically as his smirked at the two humans, "Or being afraid of being alone? Or wanting to belong somewhere?"

"We understand those things," Miroku replied simply, his expression stoic, "Yet what I do not understand is why you offer those reasons so willingly. The Inuyasha we knew would never do such a thing. Why offer up such information?"

The demon merely snorted and rolled his eyes as a wolfish grin played on his lips, "I'm just being honest. He may act all confident and be a dick but it's because he's afraid if we told you the truth you guys would dump him... us... me... whatever, if he showed any weakness. I, on the other hand, don't really give a shit because I know I've got nothing to gain by lying to ya or making shit up and I want you guys to trust me. The truth is easier. I mean, instead of answering these stupid questions, I could've just kicked your asses if I really had..."

"So you are saying you've _lied_ to us in the past and are willing to inflict harm upon us if necessary?" Miroku asked steadily before his lips twitched downward when the demon merely looked outraged and Sango whipped her head towards the monk with a horrified look on her face.

"The _**fuck**_?! That's not what I said!" the demon cried indignantly as he gave his friend a seething look, "I'm not saying I've _lied_ to you! I'm just... I'm just telling you how it is so you'll get off my back!"

Sango chewed the inside of her lip for a moment before casting a glance over at the sleeping Kagome who lay a safe distance away cuddling Shippo to her chest. All Miroku had accomplished was making things much, _much_ worse and driving a wedge between them that didn't need to be there. This whole process and Miroku's response was borderline cruel. She needed to intervene.

"Do you love Kagome?" Sango asked quickly, cutting off Miroku before another question could come out his mouth.

"Yes," the demon answered with a quick shrug and without hesitation, seemingly relieved at this change as some of the tension radiating off him relaxed visibly.

"So you've _told_ her?" Sango inquired shrewdly. Avoiding answering truly personal questions was his forte and if it was indeed Inuyasha, there was only one way to react. Cheering inwardly, when his ears drooped incrementally and he cast a wistful glance at her sleeping friend, Sango couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"She...she knows," the demon answered quietly, his earlier vibrato slightly lessened before it came back with a vengeance at the same time a soft blush bloomed under jagged purple. Scoffing loudly, the silver haired demon shook his head as he folded his arms across his chest and scowled, "Don't need to tell her something she already knows."

"Perhaps," Sango mused playfully as she cast him a knowing look.

"She knows dammit" the demon huffed as abruptly stood and turned away, "Enough questions. I'm going to do a perimeter run. Don't let him get killed. I'll be back."

And quick as a flash, he was gone in a blur of silver and red.

"Sango, what was _that_?! I had it under control! He was..." Miroku began before Sango cut him off.

"You were being cruel. Unforgivably cruel," the slayer hissed, "All he said was he was didn't want to to tell us before that he was afraid we'd turn on him and then you threw it back in his face! We all have our own insecurities that we..."

"How do we know if that's even him in there?!" Miroku hissed, effectively cutting her off, as he threw his hands up in frustration, "This could all be a trap!"

"Even if it _is_ a trap, I'm staying," Sango answered firmly before visibly deflating, "How many traps have we fallen into because of me? I've stolen Tessaiga and betrayed all of you for Kohaku yet you stood by my side. I'm not going anywhere _especially_ because I know you're wrong. So very wrong."

"That's different, Sango. Kohaku is your brother. This...this _demon_ could..."

Shaking her head, the slayer rolled her eyes at the monk's blatant stupidity as he continued to list all the reasons Inuyasha would likely turn on them at any moment. Miroku had known Inuyasha even longer than she had and yet clearly, didn't know him at all.

Inuyasha hadn't told a lie per se but he did tell a partial truth. Even his demon form was afraid to be alone, although the demon acted like it was very much one sided - a defense mechanism if she had to guess and security for himself should something go sour before they merged back together. Throw out the pity factor as a safety net just in case one of the halves did something incredibly stupid. It wasn't like his human half would remember.

All in all, Miroku's assessment was one blinded by prejudice. Inuyasha could've easily given over his human half to Kikyo and taken off but he didn't. He could've easily refused to answer their questions but he didn't. Hell, he could've killed them all but he didn't. No, he stayed with them and was going out of his way to ingratiate himself. He wanted their trust and their friendship. He admitted he loved Kagome but was obviously still too scared to tell her even in his much more confident demon form. It wasn't _suspicious_ , it was actually quite sad to think about deep those scars must go that even his demon half had them on his soul. With a gentle, long, exasperated sigh, Sango ran her fingers through Kirara's fur.

"Did you know," she began softly as Miroku finished his tirade and ran his fingers through his hair, "that Inuyoukai take pack very seriously, it's not a word they just throw around and he's repeatedly referred to us as such. They live and die for their pack's wellbeing."

"Oh _yes_ , Sesshomaru _clearly_ lives and dies for Inuyasha," Miroku quipped back sarcastically as Sango rolled her eyes.

"Inuyasha is _not_ part of Sesshomaru's pack but Rin and Jakken _are_. How many times has he risked losing a battle to keep them safe?" Sango paused her hand and frowned before continuing slowly, "Actually, now that I think about it. Do you remember when we battled Sounga? Sesshomaru took a full on blast for Inuyasha and another time, he came to save Inuyasha from his demon half after we fought that moth demon. Perhaps Inuyasha is his pack."

"Perhaps **_or_ **perhaps Sesshomaru had to address Inuyasha's demon half after it killed about thirty bandits with its bare hands and was raging out of control because it was bringing dishonor on the family," Miroku mocked exasperatedly and groaned when Sango merely gave him a pitying look.

"We are his pack. He will not harm us. And...and when they're together, I do agree they are unstable but they aren't fighting each other now," Sango answered plainly before sighing dejectedly and turning a sympathetic glance at the human Inuyasha laid out next to her sleeping friend, "They're what they could've been if their lives had been different. They don't have to be afraid of each other and we have no reason to fear them."

"I think you're seeing thing that aren't there," Miroku clipped, "That _demon_ isn't our friend. Our friend is _gone_."

In the treeline, hurt, almost mournful crimson eyes watched as his friend walked over to lean against the tree, actively scanning the forest for the perceived threats or more accurately, for him.

 **XXXXX**

"He still hasn't woken up," Kagome whispered anxiously to the demonic Inuyasha, "something's wrong."

"Yeah, maybe you need to take him to..." Inuyasha began before Miroku knelt down beside them and addressed the demon beside him, "What did _you_ do to him before we arrived?"

That. _**That** _was the breaking point of Inuyasha's patience.

In that moment, he was blinded by a five-course serving of rage that tasted bitter, yet _deliciously_ satisfying as his fist collided solidly with Miroku's jaw. He knew he should reign it in, apologize before he made it worse, but he just didn't have it in him. His instincts were screaming at him to punish the possible usurper and before he knew what he was doing, he'd tackled the monk to the ground. With one hand, he pinned both of his arms above his head while the other placed light pressure on the monk's throat as he growled menacingly and his chest heaved up and down.

"SUBMIT!" the demon growled as he slightly increased the pressure on the monk's wind pipe. Miroku narrowed his eyes angrily at the demon towering above him and defiantly remained silent. The silence only served to make Inuyasha angrier as he desperately tried to quench the desire to rip his still beating heart from his chest, " _ **SUBMIT**_!"

Inuyasha's whole being shook from the effort of holding back and the muscles in his jaw jumped sporadically from the effort of remaining silent. Finally, after several tense minutes, a soft hand touched his shoulder and Inuyasha flinched back instinctively.

"Inuyasha, let him up," Kagome whispered placatingly as she gently rubbed his arm and gave him a forced smile, "He didn't mean anything by it. Let him up."

As she knelt down, Sango grimaced. Given this turn of events, she would bet Hirakostu that the demon had heard every word last night and the not so subtle accusation that Miroku had just thrown out there had pushed the demon over the edge. As Inuyasha's crimson eyes met Kagome's blue, he sighed and took a deep shuddering breath. Far be it for him to ignore the order of the alpha female, especially when he knew she was right. Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha leaned back on his haunches, ripping the grass up with his claw that had been holding Miroku's wrists as he continue to growl low in his chest at the insubordinate beta. Miroku's hand flew to his sutras but he slowly pulled his hand out of his robes upon seeing the accusatory and irate glares from the others.

"You all may stay with this demon but this is the _final_ straw. My time with you has ended," Miroku hissed as he stumbled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. As he brushed himself off, he huffed and began walking away only to pause.

"Sango, you're coming with me," Miroku ordered sternly as he turned a severe gaze her way, his resolve faltering slightly at the withering glare she gave him in reply.

"You're making a _terrible_ mistake. Don't you _see_ that? Don't you _understand_ what you..." Sango began angrily as she stared him down before she trailed off knowing a lost cause when she saw one.

" _Fine_. I see you've made your choice," Miroku spat out angrily as he managed to muster a cold and superior look, "This is goodbye. I pray you will not regret your decision."

And just like that...Miroku was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

As the hours passed and his anger faded, Miroku felt wave after wave of regret take its place. Sighing and sagging against the nearest tree, he felt like he wanted to curl up and die. In his heart of hearts he wanted to retract every word that he spilled from his mouth since they had found them. Those accursed words weren't truly a reflection on his opinions of Inuyasha, demon form or no, but of his own inner demons. In short he was afraid of what it meant, what it would mean for their small band of misfits. There had been a bizarre compulsion to alienate one in favor of the other, like he needed to pick sides, and the human version seemed the safer bet. That demon…uh, _Inuyasha_ had always been dangerous whenever he took his demonic form in the past. A mindless killing machine that wouldn't listen to the voice of reason and who slaughtered man or beast that stood in his way. It made no logical sense that all this time there was an actual intelligent being lying in wait and that frightened him and fear makes people do stupid, _stupid_ things. Closing his eyes, he slowly slid down the tree and leaned his head back as he rapped his head repetitively against the rough bark.

"You're going to do some damage if you keep that up," a snarky voice suddenly snorted beside him and out of instinct his hand flew up to smack the unexpected interruption when a firm hand caught his wrist mid-air, "If you're _going_ to hit me, at _least_ do yourself the dignity of making it _more_ than a bitch slap."

"When on _earth_ did you get here?" Miroku gasped as he clutched at his chest and glared at the demon giving him a cocky smirk. By Buddha, he always had known Inuyasha could be a silent predator when he needed to be but it was unnerving how close he had managed to get without him noticing.

"A while," Inuyasha teased lightly merely giving the monk a wolfish grin, "I dunno how you didn't realize I was there. I _do_ have an aura and you _do_ have spiritual powers."

"Why?" Miroku began breathlessly as he subconsciously leaned away from the menacing looking demon, "After what I said, _why_?"

" _Had_ to follow you," Inuyasha snorted as he rolled a crick out of his neck, "A puny human like you is sure to get yourself killed."

"But _why_ follow me? _Why_ care if I die after what I said?" Miroku sighed as he leaned back and closed his eyes, "I made it clear I didn't _care_ about _you_."

"Yeah, you were _clear_ ," the demon grumbled as he adjusted himself to sit more comfortably, " _But_ you're still _pack_. Didn't really want you to leave and I didn't want you to think I'd banished you from the pack or nothing so…"

"You're not mad?" the monk sighed incredulously to which the demon set his jaw and rolled his eyes in response.

"Fuck yeah, I'm **_mad_**. You were a total dick!" Inuyasha scoffed before sighing and running his hand over his face, "But… _but_ like I said you're still pack so if you'll _submit_ , I'll forgive you. I mean, _shit_ Miroku. You acted like…"

"What do you mean submit?" Miroku interrupted curiously, "What does that entail?"

" _Always with the questions_ ," Inuyasha mumbled under his breath before giving the monk a pointed look, "Since you're human I'll explain _once_. It's basically saying you know you fucked up, that you won't do it again."

"Can I just _say_ that?" Miroku asked slowly as he gave Inuyasha an anxious side-eyed glance, "Or do I need to do something more?"

Inuyasha smirked at him before folding his arms in front of his chest and stated simply, "Sure."

"Sure?" Miroku chuckled nervously, "Just…just _sure_?"

When Inuyasha merely smirked at him, the monk took a deep breath, sat up and faced the demon giving him a very awkward smile, "I'm _sorry_?"

"Not good enough," Inuyasha snorted, "You were a total asshole so just _sorry_ ain't gunna cut it."

Miroku deflated and stared at his hands for a moment as he furrowed his brow. It would be wrong to assume this was a trick or some type of mind game. He need to grovel his ass off if he wanted to really make things right and even then…

"I'm sorry that I doubted you, my friend," Miroku began as he let out a shuddering sigh, "I should never have said any of those things. I was…"

"Afraid. _Yeah_. Caught _that_ ," Inuyasha interrupted abruptly as he gave the monk a calculating look, "Wanna talk about it or do you want to pretend that never happened?"

"Pretend it never happened, honestly," Miroku snorted playfully as he gave the demon – who merely shrugged in response - a sheepish grin, "I _truly_ am sorry."

"Whatever. Just don't do that again," Inuyasha sighed as he got to his feet and extended his hand to help the monk to his own, "Just letting you know, _I'm_ not the one you've got to be afraid of because Sango is gunna kick _your_ **_ass_** and _none_ of us are going to save you."

 **XXXXX**

Inuyasha groaned and rolled over in the grass as he sluggishly blinked his eyes. What was he doing on the ground – did he fall? That wasn't like him. - and what the fuck was that weird dream? Something about Kikyo and powder and him and another him and…and…

 _Oh_ **_shit_**.


	6. Chapter 6

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"So I'm fully human and he's fully demon and he's not gunna kill any of you?" human Inuyasha asked slowly, something unrecognizable sparking in his chocolate eyes when everyone nodded, "And…and as far as you can tell, we're both okay."

"I guess," Kagome sighed exasperatedly, "You were unconscious for almost two days but if you say you feel fine, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

For a moment, the human was silent as he chewed the inside of his cheek before a huge grin burst out over his face.

"This is the **_best_** thing that's ever happened to me!" the ebony haired Inuyasha enthused, an almost manic look in his eyes, "Do you even _know_ …I can't even…this is _such_ …"

"I thought you _hated_ being human?" Kagome asked nervously, completely thrown off, "Don't you _hate_ …"

"I hated that it left me open, left you guys open," the human answered as he gestured wildly at his friend with the biggest grin Kagome had ever seen before he pointed to his demonic half who looked as shocked as the rest of them, "But _he's_ here! You guys are still protected and I can do whatever the fuck I want!"

For a moment, everyone stared aghast as the human Inuyasha began to prattle on excitedly, grabbing Kagome's hands and seemingly on the verge of squealing, "Kagome, don't you see! We can be together now! I'll…I'll cut my hair and…and wear clothes like all the normal guys from your time. I'll look like everyone else so I can go to school with you and learn the same shit and…and…"

" _Whoa_ , slow down," Kagome chuckled nervously as she sent a pleading glance at her friends to intervene, "We've got to put you back together."

"No, _no_ we don't," Inuyasha breathed, his chocolate eyes dilated as the words tumbled out of his mouth in rush, "We'll _both_ be human. No one will hunt us. No one will care. No one will…"

" _Kikyo_ will care you _dumbass_. Calm your ass down before you hurt yourself," the demonic Inuyasha sighed exasperatedly to which the human Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Why do I care?"

" _Wait_ , **_what_**?" everyone choked simultaneously before Kagome cleared her throat and tried to clarify, "What do you mean?"

"Bitch tried to kill me and you and…and now she's cursed me or whatever and I'm _done_ ," Inuyasha sighed exasperatedly, looking seriously put out that they'd brought up this subject which was clearly killing his buzz, "I'm _so_ done with her. It's just one thing after another after…"

"She's fucking **_pack_** , you _asshole_!" the demonic Inuyasha bellowed as he stormed over to tower over the human and jabbed his finger in his chest, "You don't turn your back on fucking pack members no matter _how_ much they piss you off!"

" _Oooohhhh_ ," Shippo exclaimed then before getting a thoughtful look on his face, "That explains a _lot_."

" _How_?" Sango muttered under her breath before a faint blush blossomed on her cheeks when the demonic version sent her a withering glare before he turned crimson eyes back on the human version of himself.

"This right here is why you're the fucking _worst_!" the human bellowed back in a very attitudinal, very…uh, _teenagey_ way that had Sango and Miroku exchanging slightly amused yet uneasy glances, "Always with the instincts and the fighting and the…"

"Stop acting like a fucking _child_! You're a hundred and fucking fifty! Grow the _fuck_ _up_!" the demon bellowed as he took a menacing step forward, "You're so fucking selfish! What you're going to leave your _pack_? You're going to abandon the mission? What is your…"

"Maybe I don't _care_ about the mission. Maybe _you_ need to grow up," the human spat back as he folded his arms in front of his chest and glowered at his other half, "Maybe _you_ need to realize I'm my own person."

For a moment, the inutaichi was concerned that the demon version was about to absolutely _pummel_ his human self. The demon's knuckles had turned white from how hard his fist were balled up and he was literally shaking form the effort of holding back. After a moment, though, the demon merely huffed in frustration and took a deep calming breath before turning to Kagome, "Go ahead and fucking sit me already. I don't even give a _shit_ that I'll go down too."

"Aren't _you_ going to make him submit?" Miroku teased as he held his hand to his chest in mock offense, "One might accuse you of nepotism."

"Don't know what nepotism means but the alpha female has the right to punish the Alpha male, "Inuyasha groaned as he threw a very red face and shocked looking Kagome an exasperated glare, "This is _your_ problem."

"Oh please, what's _she_ going to do? Only person that'll be slammed to the ground is _you_ ," the human snorted as he rolled his eyes, "Fuck you and your holier than now attitude. You were a mindless monster only a few days ago. I don't gotta listen to _anything_ you say."

"You need to learn when to shut the fuck up!" the demon bellowed back angrily, a vein clearly throbbing in his temple, "Do you know the _bullshit_ I've had to go through to stay with them? A _ll_ you're doing is making us look _bad!"_

When the human merely smirked at him, the demon turned irate eyes on the miko, " _Kagome_! Aren't you going to fucking _address_ this? I mean, _damn_ woman!"

As Kagome groaned and buried her face in her hands, the human snorted once before bursting into loud guffaws.

" _She_ doesn't have any control over me and neither do _you_ ," the human rolled his eyes as he sent a devilish grin at his demonic half, "so what're going do? _Hit yourself_?"

"That's _exactly_ what I'm gunna do," the demon snarled. As the demon's foot collided solidly with his human counterparts chest making him fly back a good ten feet, the silver haired Inuyasha smirked before straightening up, brushing himself and sending a glare at the other members of the inutaichi.

"Do you guys have some complaint?" the demon snarled to which the rest of the group merely slowly shook their heads. With that he stormed away into the trees as Sango and Miroku followed after him.


	7. Chapter 7

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

As the demon smashed tree after tree, Miroku snorted as he turned to Sango and gave her an amused, sheepish grin, "Seems I was worried about the _wrong_ Inuyasha."

"Too soon, Miroku. Too fucking soon," the demon growled as he slashed his claws against a stubborn tree, "I mean, is that what I'm _normally_ like? Fuck, _I_ hate me and I've only just met myself."

Miroku snorted, "We all thought the…um…well, how do I put this? I guess, we always assumed your more, _uh_ , immature and rude behavior was from your demon side but apparently we were wrong on that front."

"I think your demon side was more prevelant than you thought," Sango offered, "Maybe even more than your hanyou self was aware."

"Maybe," Inuyasha scowled, "but that selfish, greedy asshole is _still_ part of me. All he seems to care about is himself and what's in it for him! I don't understand it."

"Well, if I felt I had no place to belong and suddenly the world was at my fingertips I'd be excited as well," Miroku sighed sagely as he rubbed his chin and Sango nodded in agreement, "Give him some time. Once the, _uh_ , excitement wears off, I'm sure he isn't, _um_..."

"A punk ass bitch?" the demon huffed exasperatedly as he landed a solid kick into the nearest tree making it crash to the ground. Inuyasha paused for a moment and sighed heavily as he leaned against the mutilated tree, "He's right about one thing though. He can…he can give Kagome a normal life that I just can't. I get why he's excited but abandoning you guys, abandoning the pack…that I just don't understand."

"It seems like neither of you care for Kikyo very much," Sango noted wearily, "We always assumed it was your human heart that made you continue to chase after her but she's just another member of the pack. I can't imagine a scenario where this ends well for either of you. She's going to be furious."

"Well, all I know is that she's pack and I…I won't abandon pack," the demon answered softly, "She can be mad all she wants. Honestly, I don't like her - the undead her anyway - but I feel real protective of her at the same time. I…I can't let her get herself killed again."

"You talk about pack a lot," Miroku observed, "What do that entail exactly?"

"Well…so Kagome and I are alphas. The leaders of the pack," the demon began nervously as a blush bloomed under jagged purple when Sango gave him a knowing smirk, "Um, so you, uh, probably already know but alpha males and alpha females are…um…normally _mated_ but…well…that, that isn't always the case… _obviously_."

Miroku snorted as he gave Inuyasha a lecherous grin, "So you _haven't_ consummated your relationship with the Lady Kagome? I could most certainly give you some…"

"Shut your fucking mouth." Inuaysha quipped back before he sighed and cast Sango a nervous glance, "Then there's beta. Beta is my second in command – after ya know, Kagome. I know you're the better fighter Sango but beta's normally a male position so I've always considered Miroku my beta but… after your fucking stunt the other day, Miroku, Sango's now beta. So Miroku, Shippo, Kilala and everyone else are omegas. A general pack member, I guess. And, um, Kikyo…is more of an independent who I've offered my protection to."

" _So_ …" Miroku began, a mischievous grin on his face, "The rank goes Kagome, _then_ you, _then_ Sango and _then_ myself, Shippo, Kilala."

"So you get it," Inuyasha sighed in relief, before blushing when he realized to what he had agreed, "Hey! Wait a minute, Kagome and I are _both_ Alpha. We're, uh, we're partners."

"You _just_ said that the Alpha female has the right to _punish_ the Alpha male. Wouldn't that put her _above_ you?" Sango teased lightly.

"No! I mean, we're, um…just we're equal. We both make decisions," Inuyasha mumbled miserably before turning and thrusting his claws into the tree, "I just…my human half doesn't…he just… I don't understand. I don't get it."

"I mean, you are a _teenager_ ," Sango snorted, "Maybe your human side didn't, um, develop as much or something as your demon side or maybe demons aren't…

"Whiny little bitches?" Inuyasha snarled as he slammed his fist down into the tree bark and huffed when it fell back onto the forest floor, "Guess I didn't know him so well after all. Little shit doesn't know when to shut up or back down and what was with that _attitude_?"

"Well, that doesn't sound too far off from your usual self," Miroku snorted, "Maybe you balance each other out when you're together."

"Who the fuck knows?" Inuyasha growled before a heartbroken look flashed over his face for half a second, "But…but he was so excited to be human…and he's right. He _could_ give Kagome a normal life. He can have a normal life. And…and I've got what I wanted, I'm…I'm free…maybe we should just leave it at…"

"No!" Sango gasped before she slapped her hand across her mouth. Clearing her throat, she swallowed and began again, "I mean, you're _both_ still our friend but you both need to come back together."

The demon nodded solemnly, his frustration seemingly forgotten at the realization that between the two of them, Kagome would never pick him.

 **XXXXX**

"You _have_ to change back to the way you were," Kagome sighed exasperatedly for the umpteenth time, "You _can't_ stay like this."

"Don't see why not," the human pouted before he sighed and ran his hand over his face, "I mean, don't _you_ want me this way? I mean, we can be _together_ if I'm like this."

"Don't get me wrong, I am flattered that...um...you've admitted you like me" Kagome grimaced as she groaned and buried her face in her hands, clearly questioning her own sanity as she took a deep breath and continued, "But I liked you the way you were, as a _half-demon_. It's not that I _don't_ like you this way...it's just... this _isn't_..."

"Well, I _didn't_ like me the way I was. I _didn't_ like that I had to fight all the time, that I had to hide when I was like this, that I had to hear all the fucking awful things people called me under their breath. That's all I've ever done. Hell, that's all I've ever _known_ ," the human sighed miserably as he gave Kagome an imploring look - the pain and desperation in his chocolate eyes making Kagome gasp, "Everyone wanted to kill me for one reason or another. Everyone was _afraid_ of me. Do you blame me for wanting to be normal?"

Kagome sighed dejectedly and gave the human a sympathetic smile. Honestly, she could see where he was coming from but she couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of dread washing over her. There was no way this spell came without consequences of _some_ kind - Kikyo taking the human version away aside.

"Kikyo is _going_ to come for you," Kagome stated simply, "She thinks your human side is the one who cares for her."

"Well, she's going to find out the hard way I guess," Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes as he huffed in frustration, "I don't _hate_ her. I do still care I guess but I just...Okay, so if you broke up with someone and it ended badly, really badly would you want to be with that person?"

Kagome reluctantly shook her head.

"Okay, what if you found out that it was all a misunderstanding and you could fix it? Would you try?" Inuyasha pushed forward, giving her another imploring look.

"I guess..." Kagome sighed, having a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Okay, so what if you tried and instead of forgiving you for the misunderstanding, that person kept trying to kill you or your friends because they wouldn't let shit go?" Inuyasha huffed exasperatedly as he gestured idly at nothing in particular. Kagome rolled her eyes as the things everyone had been saying or thinking for years were thrown back at her - apparently humans pretty much had _one_ way of looking at this situation.

"What if they blamed you for shit that wasn't your fault? What if there was someone else who actually liked you the way you were? Would you chase after the one who hated you? What if they..."

" _Alright_ , I get it. I get it. It makes sense why you feel that way but..." Kagome groaned as she mentally kicked herself - _why_ was she bringing up Kikyo again? - " it doesn't change the fact that you cared about her, _loved_ her even in your hanyou form and that...that she loves you."

"Oh please, she doesn't _love_ me. She loves the _idea_ of me. And I can't explain it, it almost feels like those thoughts and feelings aren't... _mine_ ," Inuyasha explained in a frustrated tone as he ran his fingers through his ebony locks, "I feel like a new person, like a different person even. I feel... _free_."

 **XXXXX**

A few hours and dozens of trees later, the demon turned to head back to camp. At first, it began as a little lightheadedness which he attributed to clearing out the forest and working out his rage. Then it hit him. A strong wave of nausea suddenly swept over him as he staggered back and clutched at his chest, his face turning a nasty shade of green.

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked hesitantly, pausing in the treeline, "Are you..."

"I'm fine," the demon croaked even as he swayed dangerously and tried to bite back the bile growing in his throat, "Ain't nothing...wrong..."

" ** _MIROKU CATCH HIM_**!" Sango screamed as the demon's eyes rolled back and he plummeted to the ground.

"What just happened?!" Miroku groaned as he lowered the demon gently onto the ground.

"We've put off seeing Kaede too long," Sango whispered anxiously, "We should go. _Now_."


	8. Chapter 8

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

As the inutaichi soared through the air on their respective demons – Kagome and Miroku on Shippo while the rest rode Kilala – anxiety coursed through their systems. The demon version of their friend had been as unresponsive as the human had been earlier that day. The human Inuyasha fidgeted nervously as he rode next to his comatose counterpart. There was a catch - _obviously_ – to whatever was going on but much to his chagrin, the human actually felt more energized than he had before the demon had fainted. It was almost as though the demon being out of commission made it easier to breathe, and he felt…well _great_ actually. Not that he was stupid enough to voice such a realization.

"How are you doing back there?" Sango's voice suddenly carried on the wind, "You hanging on alright?"

"Yeah, I'm…" Inuyasha began to answer before choking when a bug managed to careen into his open mouth sending involuntary shivers through his entire body as he tried to quell the desire to vomit. A quick anxious glance over her shoulder made the slayer snort and roll her eyes, "Keep your mouth closed."

"You tell me this _now_?!" Inuyasha bellowed back hoarsely, "Never seems to be a problem for _you_."

"I've got experience you don't" Sango clipped back playfully as she once again turned her gaze forward, "It's all about…"

A quick clap of thunder and the strange animal sound cut her off as Totosai descended from the heavens towards them. Quickly landing, the group made to rush towards the eldery demon before he stormed forward to land a solid thawk on the human's head.

"You stupid boy!" Totosai roared as he swung his staff wildly, "How could you have let this happen?!"

"Hey! Hey! I didn't do shit!" the ebony haired Inuyasha protested as he tried and failed to duck the blows that just kept coming.

"Tessaiga summoned me after you forsook _everything_ your father died for! You tossed his sacrifice into the pits of hell and made a mockery of it!" Totosai hissed angrily as he continued his rampage, "He died to save you and your mother! He wanted you to live life as you were intended to be, not _**this**_! I thought there was a brain in there but apparently not. You stupid, _stupid_..."

" _Totosai_! _Stop_!" Kagome cried out when a solid thawk managed to hit the human square in the face making blood gush out of his nose, " _ **Stop**_! Just tell us what's going on!"

"This _fool_ managed to get his being split in two," Totosai groaned exasperatedly as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "It's _old_ demonic magic which you, _Kagome_ , have been a victim of yourself except he was _weak_ and..."

"What do you _mean_ I've been…" Kagome began heated - interrupting the elderly demon's tirade - before she trailed off as her eyes widened in understanding and she whispered quietly, " _Kikyo_."

"It's the _same_ spell. One vessel calls out to the other to steal their soul until the dominant one prevails. It becomes a never ending battle unless the two vessels come to truly desire reuniting their soul once more," Totosai huffed as he plopped down onto the ground and sent a withering side-eyed glare at the two Inuyashas nearby, "In your case, Kagome, you had another vessel already. This...this worthless _idiot_ over here split himself in two and _created_ a vessel. It should've been _useless_! This would've _never_ been a problem if you didn't _hate_ yourself so much! It wouldn't've..."

"I'm not understanding, what is this spell?" Sango asked quietly. No one had ever told her of Kikyo's origins and it didn't sit well with her that at any moment Kikyo could kill her friend without any warning. Miroku seemed to be of the same opinion as he inquired softly, "Kagome?"

"Back when it was just Inuyasha and I, we fought a demon witch who tried to steal my soul with some spell and place it into Kikyo to revive her clay body," Kagome began slowly as she stared in mild horror at the two Inuyashas before her, "But ultimately I managed to get most of it back."

Totosai nodded idly for a minute as he picked at his ear before asking in an exasperated tone, "You ever feel a pull on your chest that makes you lightheaded?"

Kagome nodded slowly, panic gracing her features and she rubbed lightly at her chest, "Sometimes I still get a nagging feeling around here but I…I never thought…."

"Well, I can't say I blame you for not knowing the specifics," Totosai addressed Kagome as he cricked his neck, "Not like it's a common spell. That pulling feeling is her trying to reunite the soul, perhaps even subconsciously. You two seem to balance out though or else one of you would be dead by now."

" _Oh_ ," Kagome breathed dejectedly as she once again turned a concerned gaze upon the human Inuyasha who was staring at her with a mortified expression on his face.

" _So…so Kikyo could still…she's been trying to…_ " the human whispered anxiously, more to himself than to the elderly demon staring curiously up at him.

"Indeed she has, just like you two morons have been trying to fight for dominance," Totosai scoffed angrily, "The difference is you're weak unlike _her_! Splitting yourself in two because you both wanted to be something you're not! Then one of you has the sense enough to truly desire to be reunited and the one who didn't called back the soul!"

"What the fuck?!" the human spluttered incredulously, "So if one of us has a thought like that we die!?"

"No, no you stupid boy," Totosai sighed in exasperation as he glared at the ebony haired teenager before him, "He's not dead, just... _weakened_. He must've admitted his true desire to himself and you'd be wise to join him. That's the only way to get yourselves out of this mess."

"I...I don't...I didn't mean..." the ebony haired Inuyasha spluttered nervously as he cast an almost frightened glance at the demon lying atop Kilala. Sango and Miroku exchanged nervous glances before sending a fleeting, mournful glance at their miko friend – which luckily went unnoticed. Just a few hours ago, the demon had said that it would be best for Kagome for them to stay apart. One could say he almost looked _defeated_ as he had said it, adding almost as an afterthought that he was indeed free and it might be best for them to stay separate. Perhaps he wanted...maybe he...

"Is there any way to buy us some time?" Kagome whispered suddenly tearing both slayer and monk from their thoughts before she added a little louder, "What if I take the human to my era? Would the demon part wake up?"

"Don't know but worth a shot," Totosai groaned as he slowly got to his feet and turned to return to his demonic bull, "In the meantime, I'll see if I can find out some more about this blasted spell and if there's any way to undo it."

The human Inuyasha couldn't help but secretly do somersaults in his head while simultaneously feeling tremendously guilty. In the end, he was getting what he really wanted. Despite himself, he couldn't find it in himself to care about what Totosai had said. So what if they'd never get put back together again? That wasn't the worst thing in the world. He'd get to go live in Kagome's time and go to her school and be with her and be… _normal_.


	9. Chapter 9

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

It is never a good thing when a parent-teacher conference is called but there are some consistencies that can best prepare you. The first thing any teacher tells you at a parent teacher conference will let you know how much trouble your child is actually in and exactly what type. For Kagome, it was always she's such a sweet girl whenever she was struggling academically and she's doing so well in class when it was a problem with another student or behavior. It set the tone, it let you know what to expect.

Or it _usually_ does.

"He has _such_ lovely hair," the teacher began in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Yes he does," Ms. Higuarashi chuckled nervously, "So, the results from his testing are in I take it?"

The ebony haired woman began shuffling the paperwork on her desk into a neat pile as she gave Ms. Higurashi the most awkward, forced smile the matron had ever seen.

"I have a few questions," the woman began nervously, "Is he…uh. Oh, how do I put this? Is he…um, special needs?"

"Special needs?" Ms. Higurashi laughed once, "Whatever do you mean."

"He…um, in his age group…uh, he is very…developmentally delayed, I guess would be a nice way of putting it," the woman cleared her throat before continuing in that same sickly sweet voice, "He reads on a…um, first grade level and his…uh, aptitude in math is virtually non-existent. Has he ever had any form of formal education before now?"

"He was homeschooled but his mother has since passed away," Ms. Higurashi began slowly, "So what does this mean in terms of enrolling him in school?"

"Before we get to that," the woman sighed before giving the mother a forced smile, "We need to discuss further testing. He seems to have problems handling the most basic of activities. You know, how to use a water fountain, bathroom facilities, computers, light switches. He couldn't identify most countries or cities, objects or historical figures. In fact, he acted like he had never _heard_ of any of them and kept asking whether the countries were part of ' _the continent'_. He had never heard of the atomic bomb – he actually asked what a bomb was – and seemed genuinely alarmed once we were forced to explain the bubonic plague. He had never heard of _Osaka_ or _Nagasaki_. He wasn't even sure of the _name_ of the city he _lives_ in. He insisted that most of the animals we showed him – elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, monkeys – were types of ' _demons'_. And that's _just_ academically."

Ms. Higurashi shifted nervously in her chair, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plausible excuse, _any_ excuse, as the woman continued.

"Based on his responses, he may have some psychosis or mental illness of some kind. Testing also showed violent tendencies and a lack of awareness for social norms," the woman continued – her voice quickly losing its sickly sweet tone, "He had abnormal spatial issues in regards to touching. One of our testing monitors touched his shoulder to check on his status and Inuyasha _hit_ him."

" _Hit_ him?" Ms. Higuarshi chuckled nervously as she grimaced and gave the woman an imploring look, "Surely, you're joking."

"Well, he, uh…the notation states that the boy – and I'm quoting here – 'pushed my hand away almost as if by instinct with a fair bit of force and exhibited an exaggerated startle reflex.'" the teacher read affectedly as she gave an offended looking Ms. Higurashi an exasperated and slightly disgusted look, "He is _so_ developmentally delayed and his behavior _so_ abnormal that we may have to place him in a facility for individuals with his…uh, _condition_ until he has been properly diagnosed. There is _absolutely_ no way that we can give approval for him to attend Kagome's school. I don't know _how_ you haven't noticed any of these abnormalities. You said you've known him for _years_."

"Would it be possible to homeschool him?" Ms. Higurashi began with a note of panic creeping into her voice, "My father has a bachelor's degrees and a teaching certificate that he could renew."

"Your family runs a _shrine_ ," the woman clipped back condescendingly earning a truly outraged gasp from Ms. Higurashi, "I can send a recommendation for homeschooling to the state with the condition that we assign a social worker and a teacher to you. Luckily for you we're a _private_ testing facility and we have more sway in terms of homeschooling recommendations. A public testing facility would've rejected your proposal right away."

"Well, thank you for working with us," Ms. Higuarshi ground out through gritted teeth as she stood to leave, "I look forward to your call."

 **XXXXX**

"So, um Lord Inuyasha you see..." Myoga began nervously as the demon held him between his clawed fingertips, "I have looked far and wide and...uh, there's no way to break the spell."

"That's not a good enough answer," the demon growled as he put pressure on the flea's tiny body, "I bet you didn't even try."

"No, I _did_! I swear it!" Myoga begged as he began to writhe in vain, "I spent weeks trying to learn all I could. You both must be united in your desires. There can be no hesitation or doubt! But...but aside from what you already know there's nothing that can be done I swear!"

Disgusted, Inuyasha finally squished the flea and tossed him unceremoniously to the ground. It had been two months of pure hell. As much as he reveled in finally being free, he also hated every second of it. Kagome was gone for much longer now. One, even two weeks at a time, and it killed him. She'd never been away more than three days in the past two years and any more than that felt like pure torture. What killed him the most, however, was that she had changed around him. She didn't smile at him the way she used to. That special smile that she only gave him, that melted his heart and made him feel invincible, was replaced by something that merely made a knot grow in his stomach. It seemed... _distant_. Not afraid...just...like her heart wasn't in it anymore. She didn't _love_ him anymore...and all he could think of was her loving his human half. That that was the reason she was away for so long. That he was right...and his human half could truly give her what she wanted. Why would a human like her choose him when there was someone who looked exactly like him running around who could truly give her a normal life? Someone who literally _was_ him even...

"We need to get going," Inuyasha huffed dejectedly as he folded his arms across his chest and glared at the others, "Kagome's supposed to get back tomorrow and we're too far."

Sango and Miroku had both noticed the change in Kagome and as a result in the demon Inuyasha as well. While at first he had been talkative and actually much friendlier than usual, anymore he spent much of his time in silence - most likely brooding over Kagome's increasingly long absences. The slayer had spoken to her friend about it - an innocent question that was not without cause but one that made Kagome burst into tears. Despite Inuyasha still being, well... _Inuyasha_ , the miko grieved the half-demon she loved and felt tremendously guilty that she didn't feel the same when they were split in halves. They seemed foreign to her. They were so different...and it broke Sango's heart that tomorrow they'd have to tell her there was no way to put them back together again.

 **XXXXX**

"My mom will be back soon," Kagome soothed, "But I'm sure you didn't do _that_ badly on your tests. I mean…"

"No, it was _bad_ ," the ebony haired Inuyasha groaned as he buried his face in his hands, " _So_ bad. I didn't know _anything_ , Kagome. I felt so, _so_ stupid."

"You're _not_ stupid," Kagome sighed exasperatedly as she rubbed his back, "You're just from a different time. That's not your fault."

"Do you know…" Inuyasha began in a broken tone of such bitterness and sorrow that it had Kagome's eyes widening incrementally, "I always…I had hoped that…that maybe if…if the well closed I could've…if you had to choose…that I could've gone with you and found a place here if I ever got the balls to actually tell you how I felt and managed to….I didn't want for you to feel…but _now_ …"

"I'm sure you did fine," Kagome sighed helplessly as tears began welling in the corner of his chocolate eyes and he turned his head away from her, "And even if you didn't, who cares?"

"Don't _you_?" Inuyasha whispered dejectedly – still avoiding her gaze as he clenched his eyes shut as if waiting for the axe to fall, "Don't you want _someone_ who can give you a _normal_ life?"

"Ever since I fell down that well and met you, my life hasn't been _normal_ ," Kagome snorted before adding quickly when he flinched. Sighing, she tried to force him to look at her before continuing kindly, "I don't think it'll ever be normal again even if I do come back here to stay and I wouldn't want it to be. Wouldn't know what to do with myself."

Sniffing slightly, Inuyasha timidly made eye contact with her before skittishly looking away, "It's weird, ya know. When I'm…well I guess how I normally am, it's so hard to…"

He paused and sighed, "It's really hard to say what I want to say, I guess. To be able to tell you how I feel and talk about what scares me. Even when I'm human for a night it's not the same as I feel right now. I hope…I hope I'm still the _same_ person. I seem…seem different, _really_ different since I've been split. I almost feel _broken_."

"Well…you are kinda I guess," Kagome sighed before adding quickly at the hurt that briefly flashed through his eyes, "I mean you're split into two halves. I didn't mean…"

"I know," the human whispered quietly as he played with his hands, "Maybe…maybe I should just go back to how I was but I don't want to, not really. I feel…I feel like maybe…maybe I _could_ learn and…it wouldn't be so bad to live in your era. I can't help how I feel about any of it. _I'm_ the problem."

Kagome bit her lip as she tried to come up with something to say to comfort him but what he said was true. They had to desire- _truly_ desire – to become whole again. Otherwise, it was a battle of souls so Totosai had said. One being would fight the other until one of them succeeded in completing their soul. It was subconscious and if human Inuyasha had the wherewithal to know he still _truly_ desired to be separate then here in this time he'd have to stay.


	10. Chapter 10

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

 _"Homeschool_? So, I just stay _here_?" Inuyasha groaned as he visibly deflated, " _Why_ can't I go to school with Kagome?"

Ms. Higurashi sighed as she gave him the most genuine smile she could muster given the circumstances, "Well, it's the middle of the school year dear. You can't just start."

Kagome's mother would be _damned_ before she told Inuyasha the true reason he couldn't attend the school even if it meant lying to him. Sometimes the truth was not worth telling. That hateful woman at the testing facility was on her shit list and she wasn't about to make the boy who had protected her daughter with his life so many times feel like he was defective. He got enough of that in his own time. He didn't need it in this one.

While her explanation seemed to appease the boy, Kagome seemed to have realized something wasn't quite right about that explanation as her daughter arched her brow and gave her a quizzical look. Trying to shake her head as subtly as possible and giving the ebony haired boy currently burying his face in his hands a pointed look, Ms. Higurashi clearly tried to send the message that she was not discussing the reality in front of _him_. Luckily Kagome seemed to get the message.

"It won't be that bad," Kagome cooed placatingly as she ran her fingers through his hair, "Why don't we go get you a haircut like you want, huh? We can go to the mall and get you some new clothes too."

Seeming to feel a little better by this offer, Inuyasha nodded sheepishly and huffed, "Stupid school. Fuck them. Saying I can't go. I mean, maybe that's good. Not like I'd really feel good going by myself when you're in my era."

"Yeah," Kagome chuckled nervously, "It'd be like throwing you to the wolves."

"Wait, _what_?" Inuyasha gasped, placing his hand to his chest in mock horror before grinning and joking playfully, "You're right but I don't know why you had to bring _wolves_ into it. Couldn't you'd've picked a better way of saying that?"

As she sighed awkwardly, Kagome didn't think she'd ever get used to these new Inuyashas. They really were completely different people than what they were when they were together – not better, not worse…just… _different_. They were strangers to her and...she missed him. _Terribly_. If she could, she'd sell her own soul and her right kidney just to have one more day with the half-demon she loved.

 **XXXXX**

Running her fingers through her hair in an uncharacteristically agitated fashion, Kikyo huffed as she continued her path towards her former village. It was beyond frustrating that Inuyasha had disappeared without a trace. Oh, she had seen and heard tell of his demon half multiple times. The _human_ was who was missing.

It had become apparent immediately that she had miscalculated. While she knew they would split in twine - he desired being human as much as she desired him to be so - the demon possessed intelligence enough to not merely be a mindless killing machine which threw off her plan entirely. If Inuyasha had been in the form she expected, he should've been _easy_ to dominate. Instead, it seemed that the demon had become the dominant one which irked her to no end. While he may be comatose somewhere, the human couldn't be dead. She could've found him if he was _dead_.

Straightening herself up a little, Kikyo suddenly smirked and turned in the opposite direction. It was time that she sought help to bring an end to the beast by whatever means necessary so that she could get what she truly wanted all along.


	11. Chapter 11

**NOTE: This has a fucked up scene in it.**

 **XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

The petite woman glanced up at the stricken looking boy in front of her and back down at his photo before sighing.

"You had _such_ pretty hair in your picture," the woman commented in a disappointed tone of voice, "Now you've cut it all off."

"Yup, that I did," Inuyasha answered awkwardly as he continued to stare wide eyed at could only be Yura of the Hair's reincarnation. She was _identical_ but for some reason, that was not as nerve-wracking as the thought of more tests. Suddenly, Kagome's weird obsession with studying and her distinct lack of fear regarding demons made a _lot_ more sense in his mind. Once you've experienced the crushing fear of failure in _this_ era, demons were _nothing_.

"Well, I am most cross," the woman pouted pettily before sighing and giving him a friendly smile, "But it doesn't matter. I'm Mei. I'm going to be your social worker."

Having never heard of _that_ type of teacher before, Inuyasha grinned and nodded excitedly, "So where do we start? I'd really like to start on the math part because..."

" _So_ ," Mei interrupted him in a sickly sweet tone of voice, "my job is to make sure your noggin works right okay?"

As she glanced over the charts in front of her and pulled out a pen, a knot began to grow in the pit of the poor boy's stomach as what she said and what it meant sunk in. He must've done worse on his tests than he thought. Setting his jaw to keep a smile on his face, he tried to keep his composure as she began asking him questions that just confirmed his theory.

"Alright, so let's just jump in shall we?" the woman cooed as she gave him a wicked smirk that he was unsure how to take, "Do you have any family members still living? Any relatives of any kind that you know of?"

Slowly shaking his head, Inuyasha felt the knot loosen a little. That was an innocent enough question. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he thought it might be.

"Have you always had problems using the bathroom or just recently?" she asked next with a neutral tone of voice and his heart sank into his stomach as he muttered quietly, trying and failing to hide his embarrassment, "I don't have problems with _that_."

"Pity," the woman sighed as she pouted- a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the young boy who was wondering exactly what _that_ was supposed to mean but kept his mouth shut as he fidgeted anxiously in his seat.

"Now, what made you want to cut your beautiful hair, like that?" Mei cooed as she reached up to run her fingers through his much shorter hair and leaned uncomfortably close to his face, "And why was it so long in the first place?"

"Um, please don't do that," Inuyasha mumbled as he desperately tried to lean away from her, _officially_ creeped out beyond measure. Fighting the urge to smack her hand away, he clenched his teeth together and scooted the chair a little further away when she didn't stop. _That_ had already backfired on him once during the initial testing and he didn't want to piss yet another person off.

"I _see_ ," the woman clipped as she finally withdrew her hand, "So you don't _like_ touching I take it?"

"Wait, _what_?" Inuyasha spluttered as he did a very good impression of a doe in the headlights, " _Yeah_ I like touching... _normally_ , I guess. Why do you ask? Is this part of class?"

"It _can_ be," Mei smiled seductively as she slowly moved the hand that had been on her lap slowly up his leg, "You're not all that bright are you?"

"What the **_fuck_**!? **_Get off me_**!" Inuyasha growled as he shot to his feet and began backing away from the woman now advancing towards him, "You…you need to leave. I'll tell Ms. Higurashi."

"Oh, I'm not going _anywhere_ and _s_ he's not here right now," the woman crooned as she came close enough to run a slender finger down his chest in a way that made him want to retch and double his pace away from her, "No one can hear you, you know, and no one will believe someone like you. You think you're the _first_ one to threaten me? If you fight me, I'll have you committed."

As his back hit the corners of the kitchen wall, Inuyasha's eyes dilated in fear. He'd _literally_ been cornered and she was right...this, this was Kagome's world. He couldn't fight her off like he normally would. There were consequences here like whatever it meant to be committed. He wouldn't be able to go to school or do any of the things he…

Clenching his eyes shut, he fought back bile when he felt her breath on his neck and her hand palming him through his jeans.

"Stop, please stop," Inuyasha whispered desperately, cringing as she pressed with a little more force, "I...I don't want to hurt you."

"You said you like touching," Mei crooned as her fingers slipped underneath the fabric towards something he _really_ didn't want her to touch, "And _if_ you hurt me, then away you go."

Seconds before he was about to deck her, he heard a horrified gasp and had never been so grateful to hear another's voice than he was in that moment.

" ** _MEI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING_**!?" a woman's shrill voice suddenly rang out from the doorway, " ** _I'M REPORTING YOU FOR THIS! THIS IS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE_**!"

"Rin, I was merely…" Mei began playfully before the second woman cut her off, "Oh no! I've suspected this for _years_ but I've never had any proof. You're _done_. _Leave_! **_NOW_**!"

Scoffing, Mei stormed over to her bag and made to grab the notes when Rin slammed her hand down on top of them, "No you don't. I'm taking these notes with me and _I'll_ turn them in."

Fuming now, Mei straightened herself up and glared down at the woman, " _No one_ will believe you. It's _my_ word against yours."

"Oh, honey, didn't they tell you about the facility's new policy to record _all_ new home visits? You were at that meeting if I do recall and I do believe it started this week based on reports of potential _abuse_ ," the second woman cooed wickedly as she gestured to the small camcorder atop the refrigerator, it's small red light blinking rhythmically. Smirking at the horrified expression on Mei's face, she continued in a cool tone of voice, "I had Ms. Higuarshi set up the video feed before she left, right before you got here I believe if I'm correct."

For a second, Mei's eyes darted between Rin's face and the camera seemingly trying to decide whether it would be worth it to try to grab the camera and scram before Inuyasha beat her to it and moved to stand behind Rin, who nodded appreciatively at him over her shoulder.

"Fine, I'll go!" Mei announced shrilly as she pushed them both out of the way, continuing to shout over her shoulder as she rushed out of the house, "But you've got no proof of any wrong doing. He…he needed to be subdued after an outburst. You hear me! He needed to be **_subdued_**!"

As the front door slammed closed, Inuyasha timidly looked down at his savior and handed the camera over before averting his eyes and heading back towards the table.

"Hey, you okay?" Rin said softly as she placed the camera purposefully back atop the fridge and joined him at the table - noting how he was trembling slightly and had his arms wrapped loosely around his stomach, "She'll never be able to hurt you again. That never should've happened."

"I shoulda stopped her," he whispered in a pained tone of voice as his face crumpled and paled, "I...I let it..."

"She was threatening you and she was in a position of power that she abused," Rin cut him off, "What she did was wrong. So very wrong. She'll pay. I promise you that."

Inuyasha nodded numbly, hating himself for being so weak, hating feeling so powerless, hated that he clearly just wasn't cut out for this world, that he had already failed so miserably. The woman's face crumpled sympathetically at the pain he was clearly trying to hide reflecting back at her in his eyes.

"Let's talk about which subjects you like, huh?" the teacher offered sweetly, "Your strengths were in reading. You want to start there or..."

 _'This would've never happened if I did better on those tests,_ ' he thought miserably before swallowing thickly and forcing a smile onto his face, "So, um, can...can we start with math?"

Upon seeing his unnatural smile and the self-doubt evident all over his face, Rin made a decision right then and there. Whatever they thought was wrong with him, all those notes about him being special needs were bullshit. The boy had shown more emotional strength and composure in the five minutes she'd known him than most adults she'd met and he'd just had a bitch of an experience. This was a boy who'd been hurt long and hard - probably abused or worse his whole life - and instead of seeing that, they made the nastiest report about _any_ student she'd ever seen. It was evil and she was gunna have nothing to do with it. Pulling out her own set of charts and picked up one of the sheets of paper before holding it up for him to see, "These tests they had you take, they're hard even for me. And I'm not here to make your life harder, believe me. We'll start with math and go from there but…I think you've had _enough_ for one day. You hungry?"

After the last person who was supposed to ' _help_ ' him, Inuyasha was very weary of trusting this new woman. Reluctantly he nodded once and she smiled kindly at him, "How about I order a pizza? Your mom can probably pick it up on her way back once I call her and let her know, uh, what happened. It'll be my treat."

Although he had no idea what pizza even was, he nodded and gave her a timid smile before it crumpled into a frown as he muttered quietly, "I don't understand why she did that. I didn't do anything to her."

"I know," the woman sighed quietly as she pulled out her phone and began punching in Ms. Higuarshi's cell.

"You believe me?" the human boy asked incredulously, his eyes betraying his new onset of nerves.

"Of course," Rin gave him a sympathetic look and shrugged as she pressed the call button, "Why wouldn't I?"

As he tried to process a total stranger being genuinely sympathetic to something terrible that had happened to him, his human heart wrenched painfully in his chest as old pain mixed with the new. It was because he was human that she cared. Was _this_ how people would've been if..if...

Suddenly, all he wanted to do was run away and hide...and so he did. And Rin let him, sighing heavily as he went before speaking in soft tones to the enraged mother she had on the phone.

 **XXXXX**

As the demon looked up into the night sky from his place atop the well, he sighed dejectedly. She hadn't come back. She was supposed to have come back to him hours ago. If…if she wasn't back by tomorrow afternoon, he'd go get her – spell be damned. Her absence had already been longer than he thought he was capable of handling and…and he needed her to know what Myoga had told him about the spell. Just as she never made him choose, Inuyasha wasn't going to force her to choose between them either…and it was just as well. It probably was a moot point anyway. She loved the man he used to be, not the demon he was now.


	12. Chapter 12

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

Kagome sighed as she crawled into bed. She had been all ready to jump straight through the well the second she got home when she tripped over the human Inuyasha with his knees curled up tightly against his chest just inside the well house door. By the time she managed to pry what happened out of him and made to storm inside, her angry tirade was cut short when she saw her mother sitting in the kitchen...seemingly waiting for her as she merely pushed a few pieces of paper towards her...a police report already filed, a formal complaint already sent and...and a petition to withdraw from school which he apparently had refused to sign. So much for heading to the feudal era anytime soon. She was _going_ to be there for at least the next few classes and sessions. Jewel shards and her own school work be damned. As she huffed and settled more comfortably under the sheets, a soft knock at the door and his timid voice reached her ears.

" _Kagome_?" he whispered quietly, " _You awake_?"

" _Yeah_ ," the miko whispered back as she sat up abruptly and made to get up, " _What's going on? You alright_?"

" _No, no I'm fine. I_ j _ust…uh, could I sleep by your bed…like, like I used to_?" he asked timidly as he stared longingly at the space he so often occupied before. Kagome nodded and smiled at the look of pure relief that washed over his features as he quickly moved across her room and plopped down, leaning the back of his head against her bed as he sighed.

"That's never looked comfortable," Kagome snorted as she propped herself up on her elbow and peered down at him, "but I've never really seen you sleep any other way to be honest."

"I'm used to it," Inuyasha mumbled as he adjusted himself a little. Kagome frowned and lay her back down on the pillow, "But you've been sleeping fine on the pull out couch, haven't you?"

"Yeah…" he mumbled quietly, "But…I just…I feel _safer_ when I sleep like this is all."

"Safer," Kagome repeated quietly, her eyes turning unfathomably sad as she stared idly at the back of his head before reaching out to touch his hair - withdrawing her hand like it burned when he flinched involuntarily when her fingertips made contact. Sighing, Kagome sat up and scooted against the wall as she held up the covers, "Do you...do you want to sleep up here with me? Mama wouldn't mind."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha chewed the inside of his cheek and blushed. He knew what she was trying to do and while he didn't want pity, he couldn't deny that he really _would_ feel safer in her arms. Slowly, he got to his feet and slowly maneuvered into bed beside her, relishing when she gently pulled his head onto her shoulder and rubbed his back soothingly. In no time, the tension in his muscles relaxed and he breathed a soft sigh of relief as sleep overcame him.

 **XXXXX**

Inuyasha woke a few hours before Kagome but was content to merely lie there in her embrace. Gently, so as not to wake her, he buried his nose in the crook of her neck and tried to inhale her natural scent - something that he'd turned to time and time again to find comfort only to remember with a wave of disappointment and remorse that his nose just wasn't as sensitive anymore. Oh, he could smell the soap she used and her freshly shampooed hair but her scent...her _natural_ scent...wasn't something his human nose could pick up. For a brief moment, he desperately, _desperately_ wanted to become his old self again if only to smell that scent once more.


	13. Chapter 13

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

She wasn't coming back. It was a full week since she said she'd be back and _nothing_.

Fear was the only reason he hadn't gone to see her. He didn't want to die or whatever the hell would happen if his human half was back in the picture without seeing her once more. Kagome was the reason he wasn't lonely anymore, the reason he was able to make and rely on his friends even now, the reason he finally remembered what it felt like to be loved. For a long time, he knew his former self had chosen loneliness over taking a chance on people, the reason for which was something the demon would take to his grave. When he was a small child, _very_ small, was the first time he'd broken free. It had only been a few days since his mother had died of natural causes - quietly in the night. While he may have been a few decades old by that time, he was still very much a small child in so many ways and as a result so very, _very_ naive.

A few of the servants in the castle had approached him and offered him mochi - a rare treat - if he followed them so he did. It took all of two hours before the demon came to the surface where he would stay until he escaped five years later. Torture was not a word sufficient enough to even _cover_ all they had done. Even with superior healing abilities, it amazed him that _any_ of those scars healed. Shuddering at the dark memories, the demon shut it's crimson eyes and tried to think of anything else but he couldn't block it out. They had tied him down with sutras - on his legs and arms to keep him from escaping and against his throat to keep him silent. Those men had pressed the hot irons against his small body, dislocated his joints to see them slowly repair themselves, run his small body through with spears..amongst other things that he'd really rather never think of again. Despite being tied down, he still somehow managed to scream with his body. His crimson eyes wide with horror, the mouth rigid and open, his chalky face gaunt and immobile, the fists clenched with blanched knuckles and his claws digging deeply into the palms of his small hands.

When he finally escaped, the demon retained control for only a month or so until one day the human decided he was ready to resurface and so their life long battle of wills had begun. The demon was reluctant to allow such a foolish part of himself out when all he had done was get himself into that mess - something he had no intention of going through again - and the human believed the demon had killed all the inhabitants of the castle in cold blood - the once beautiful gardens had been littered with corpses and it was all that pathetic fool could do to collect his mother's remains. The only thing the human part of him remembered was his final scream of hysteria and disbelief, bordering on terror, as they had come at him that first time but the demon remembered every single fucking second of it.

' _Maybe I'm the bitter one_ ', the demon mused quietly to himself as he sprawled out on the lip of the well and stared at the night sky, ' _Bitter or not though, the sooner that fucking idiot gets the right idea the better. I hate not having her here.'_


	14. Chapter 14

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"How can an entire _tribe_ of demons be _so_ difficult to find?" Kikyo muttered under her breath as she walked down the sandy shore towards the small village. While it was true that the almighty barrier that had protected the bat demons for so long had been broken by Inuyasha's sword, there were rumors that there was one remaining full blooded descendant who had managed to create another. The barrier, so she had heard, was just as impenetrable as the first had been. The only reason the bat demons had not attacked any villagers was out of fear that Inuyasha and his so-called friends would return to wipe them from extinction but now that he was without his sword…

Perhaps it would be best to attempt blending into the village where the little half-demon girl lived. It may even be wise to drop Inuyasha's name to earn her trust. It was highly likely that the child knew the location of their new lair, if only for her own protection and that of her mother. It almost seemed too easy. Children had always _loved_ her.

 **XXXXX**

Yawning, Kagome groaned as she frantically attempted to copy the borrowed notes in the hope that writing down the information would help her remember it later on. For the second day in a row, she had missed to ensure there would not be a repeat occurrence. Today would be the third and final day before she headed back to the feudal era. She was actually kinda shocked the demonic version of him hadn't come to fetch her. She was a good four days late now and yet there hadn't even been a peep or flash of demonic aura. It…it kinda hurt her feelings in a strange twisted way and made her miss her impatient hanyou who couldn't stand it if she was even thirty minutes late.

As she continued scribbling, the doorbell and the sounds of gentle knocking suddenly snapped her concentration in half. Groaning and beating her forehead gently on the table for a moment, the miko sighed heavily as she got to her feet and trudged toward the door. This must be the new social worker. How _fun_.

At least this one _shouldn't_ be a psycho rapist set out on taking advantage of allegedly special needs kids, right? With a deep heavy sigh, Kagome unlocked the door and put on her best smile before it faltered slightly. Despite clear attempts to mask it, this strange woman emanated a demonic aura. It was muted, barely noticeable but it _was_ there and strangely, it felt almost familiar. _Almost_.

"Hiya!" the girl not that much older than her chirped happily as she bounced into the hallway, "Higurashi residence, right?"

"Yeah…" Kagome said slowly, " _Who_ are you?"

"Oh! Call me Asora. I'm the new social worker. Have the paperwork right here if you want to check my credentials, " the girl answered gaily as she fumbled awkwardly with her purse before pulling out a soft bluish piece of resume paper and handing it over, "Here ya go. You must be Kagome. Oh, I've heard _so_ much about you!"

" _Have_ you now?" the miko asked suspiciously as she glanced down at the very curly print on the somewhat shimmering paper before her eyebrows shot into her hair when she held it close to her face. After a few seconds in which Kagome clearly seemed to be doubting what her senses were telling her, she gave it a tentative sniff, "Is this…is this _scented_?"

Nodding excitedly, the girl flashed her a toothy grin before looking impatiently around the house, "Is he here?"

"How long have you been doing this?" Kagome chuckled nervously to which the girl immediately lit up.

"Oh would you believe it?! This is my first _real_ gig," Asora squealed before waving her hand dismissively when Kagome's jaw dropped and the miko gave her a once over, "I mean, I've _worked_ before. But that was for my parents. _This_. This is _my_ thing."

"So, the testing facility sent you?" Kagome asked as she glanced at the resume in her hands, "It doesn't say you work for them…or anyone actually. It says your last job was as a receptionist."

"Well, I mean I'm kind doing this on a contract worker type of basis," Asora laughed flippantly before smiling sheepishly, "Rin called me in as a favor to my parents."

" _Okay_ …" Kagome sighed awkwardly as she handed the soft blue paper back to the girl, "I guess…I guess I'll go get him then."

"Oh! Before you do that, I've got his papers I need to give back to you," the girl gasped before pulling out an envelope and shoving into the teenager's hands, "It's all in there, don't worry."

Staring incredulously at the somewhat overflowing envelope, Kagome slowly pulled out what seemed, _incredibly_ , to be a _birth certificate?_ Furrowing her brow, she slowly placed it back where it came from and tucked it neatly under her arm. _That_ was a question for Mama because she sure as hell didn't think they provided anything.

"You gunna go get him?" Asora asked sweetly as she plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs, "I don't think this should take too, too long."

"Alrighty then. I'll just do that…" Kagome chuckled nervously as she awkwardly backed out the room before rushing up the stairs to her bedroom where Inuyasha was getting ready and slamming the door behind her. Barely able to hide his amusement, Inuyasha raised a single brow in a silent question before snorting when Kagome hissed quietly, " _Your new social worker is_ _crazy and she might be a demon!_"

" _As long as she doesn't try to grab me, I call that an improvement_ ," Inuyasha whispered back, an amused smirk playing on his lips as he finished buttoning his shirt, " _Let's just get this over with._ "

 **XXXXX**

Sighing happily, Shiori held the freshly cleaned linen to her nose and inhaled deeply. Some people hated this chore but for her it was _heaven_. She loved the scent of wildflowers that her mother used to make soap mixed in with the scent of the salty seawater. She loved the soft, clean feel of a freshly washed dress. She loved that she had finally learned to fold the fabric in a way that wouldn't wrinkle. She enjoyed the mundanity of it all. Of all the things in her life, this was the _only_ thing she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that _every_ human girl her age was doing. It was the one thing in her life that made her feel truly _normal_.

As she sniffed again, her nose crinkled in disgust and she held the small dress up for inspection. It didn't smell right at all. In fact, it smelled strangely of _graveyard_ soil. That…that _couldn't_ be right. Sniffing again, she gagged and it took all she had in her not to vomit. _God_ , what _was_ that?


	15. Chapter 15

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

Shiori sighed as the gentle sea air gently brushed her cheek, her eyelids fluttering closed as she breathed in the briny aroma. Scrunching her toes, she felt the softness of the sand, still damp from the retreating tide. She could spend hours like this, left to her own devices, where no whispers could reach her and no one could glare at her. This cliff was her sanctuary away from prying eyes where she could practice her inherited abilities without censure. As she focused her energy on summoning a barrier - her violet eyes clenched shut in concentration - a shiver flew down her spine and her eyes burst open as that god awful smell once again reached her sensitive nose.

"You're doing very well," the strange woman praised in a sickly sweet sort of tone, "You're getting better every day."

"Thank you," Shiori mumbled awkwardly as she visibly deflated and turned to leave before grimacing when Kikyo's cold hand rested on her shoulder. This woman had come into the village a few days ago and announced she was a friend of Inuyasha looking for the half-demon known as Shiori. Then once she'd found her, her scent had been so awful that it was all the poor little bat girl could do not to vomit. She had been following her around constantly and asking awkward questions about her remaining family, if you could even call them that. All it did was set alarm bells off in the small child's mind. There were certain things that the woman said that made it clear she was not truly a friend or someone to be trusted. She couldn't tell her the last time she had even seen Inuyasha, why she had traveled so far just to see her, or even the name of the little fox that accompanied that strange group. And that smell!

"My mother will be waiting for me," Shiori whispered quietly as she shrugged off the clammy hand and tried to make her way towards the village, "I'm sorry I can't stay."

"That's quite alright," Kikyo laughed as she moved to sit on the sandy shore, "I merely came her to meditate."

"Okay, I'll...uh, I'll just go then and leave you alone," Shiori breathed in a relieved tone as she turned before groaning inwardly when the strange woman asked her to join in whatever ritual it was this time. Her mother had insisted she be polite and she was a very polite child...normally but this was different. Her insistence that something was wrong fell on deaf ears. Her mother could not be convinced that this woman was anything more than a simple priestess.

Sighing heavily, Shiori trudged back and plopped down. Taking a deep breath, she once again focused her energy on creating a small barrier and pointedly ignored the woman as she asked more suspicious questions about the bat tribe. It would be a cold day in hell before the small girl would give any information to that woman. Manners be damned.

 **XXXXX**

"I've really got to go," Kagome groaned as the human Inuyasha tried to get her to stay, "I've already been gone way too long!"

"Okay, but I mean, what if I need help with my homework or something?" he pleaded unconvincingly to which Kagome merely rolled her eyes, "Sota or Mama will help you. I have to go!"

Looking defeated and rather put out, Inuyasha huffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine. Go then, see if I care," he hissed acidly before marching straight indoors, "Have fun with _him_."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome didn't even bother to answer. He'd been acting so much more mature lately but if he was going to act like this, she couldn't stand to be in his sight one second more. Shaking her head, she adjusted her backpack and made her way towards the well.

The moment she made it to the other side, she looked up to see a very relived yet pissed off looking Inuyasha staring into the well's depths.

" _ **WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG**_?!" he bellowed angrily as he dropped down into the well by holding onto the edge and reaching down to help her up, "I've..uh, we've been waiting for you! You're a _**week** _late! You took so long Sango and Miroku decided to go to the demon slayers village to repair her weapons and Shippo went off to take a fox demon exam!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Kagome sighed as he dropped her softly onto the grass before averting her eyes and fidgeting nervously, "Just...uh, your human self was having problems adjusting."

Huffing, the demonic version stared at her for a moment as he bit his lip. On the one hand, he really, _really_ wanted to be angry with her. On the other, he wanted to cherish every second she was with him, even if it was just as a friend. It was obvious which part of him she preferred and for once in his life, he realized how she must have felt whenever his whole self had gone to see Kikyo. Chuckling darkly at the thought, he knelt down expectantly - hoping and praying she'd take the hint to get onto his back. Sighing happily as she climbed on, he offered her a soft smile as he whispered loud enough for her to hear, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I shouldn't have. I'm glad you're back. I've missed you."

When she whispered she had missed him as she rubbed her cheek affectionately on his shoulder, he closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath before taking off at full speed. As broken as his heart felt at the moment, those small words managed to ease some of the ache in his chest. Maybe not all was lost after all...maybe there was a chance that she would...

Shaking his head slightly, he swallowed thickly and stamped that thought down as soon as it reared its ugly head. What was he thinking? Why would she ever pick him when she had someone just like him in her world? Still as her legs and arms squeezed him gently and she sighed happily as she relaxed more against him, he couldn't help the growing desire and urge to beg her to stay. It had always been hard when she left but at least then, he could go through the well at night...just to make sure she was real, that she was alive and to make sure nothing would ever hurt her. Maybe...maybe if he told her he...no, she deserved more than the life he could provide. That was one of the main reasons his whole self kept her away. She deserved better and he would just have to savor moments like this while he still could.


	16. Chapter 16

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

It wasn't _running away_ ….not _really_. More like…taking an extended leave of absence from home to warn your friends that some creepy woman who smelled like death was asking questions and pretending to know them. They'd _want_ to know, right? And _yeah_ , maybe there was added benefit that she was far, _far_ away from that woman and _maybe_ she felt bad about only leaving a note saying ' _I'll be back soon_ ' for her mother _but_ she didn't want to risk the chance that the woman would be able to figure out where she'd gone, although her creepiness might suggest that she'd probably follow her anyway thus the leaving in the dead of night. She was more than capable of outrunning a _human_ and of protecting herself. She may seem meek and mild mannered but she'd been working to be just as strong and capable as the half-demon who'd saved her. It never even crossed her mind to try to do anything other than just get by and fit in but that was _before_. Before _he_ came and showed her that her demonic traits weren't weaknesses at all, but could be used to protect her friends and family. That it wasn't necessary to hide and take abuse if she could fight back – obviously not killing for sport or because it was easier, he'd taught her that you should _and_ could spare innocent lives and to identify _real_ threats. Like that woman who smelled like…like… _well_ , there weren't even _words_ to describe how bad that so called priestess smelled honestly.

They needed to know something was going on.

 **XXXXX**

"So, how've you been?" Kagome asked awkwardly as she riffled through her monstrosity of a backpack and began extracting a few cups of ramen, "I…uh, brought some ramen back for you."

Giving her a strained yet appreciatively smile, the demon's crimson eyes seemed much sadder than the last time she was here. Pausing for a moment, she slowly put down the Styrofoam cup and moved to sit beside him as she rubbed his arm affectionately, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Straightening up and giving her a slightly more genuine half-grin, he shook his head and lied lamely, "It's nothing. Just…just, uh, worried about the jewel and… _stuff_."

Grimacing at his turn of phrase, the demon swallowed thickly before getting up and stretching his arms over his head, "So, uh, you…uh, want any meat or something? I think there's some game in the area I could find…if…if you wanted me to."

Sighing heavily, Kagome resisted the urge to burying her face in her hands and instead merely shook her head as she declined his offer sweetly, again feeling completely confused when he deflated slightly and sat down beside her once more, morosely picking up one of the cups of ramen and peeling the lid off.

"Let me bowl some water," Kagome offered kindly and as she made to get up, she suddenly felt a strong yet gentle grip on her wrist as a gruff voice whispered softly, "Do…do you like him better than me? I mean, not that it matters just I can…I can hunt and…and stuff and I could…uh…you, um, you…know what? Never mind. It's stupid. Yeah, just…um, boil some water would you? Thanks."

As he released her wrist and averted his eyes while his face morphed into one of complete embarrassment and dejection, Kagome felt her heart break a little and with a heavy sigh, she scooted over and rested her head on his shoulder, smiling softly when she heard his shaky exhale as he rested his cheek atop her head. She felt the muscles in her cheek move slightly and knew he was smiling but her heart broke. Every time she tried to envision that soft grin all she could see is the Inuyasha she _used_ to know. Against her will, those beautiful amber gold eyes that she would probably never see again were all that she could imagine and the one thing she wanted more than anything to see once more. Biting back tears, Kagome was jolted back into a sitting position when the demon smelled the evidence and gently lifted her chin to look at him. For a second their eyes met and Kagome had to gasp at the depth of emotion in those strange ominous looking red eyes – sadness, love, regret, confusion, worry and…and…what almost looked like _defeat_. When she opened her mouth to ask him about it, he seemed to snap himself quickly got up with a murmured apology as he sprinted off into the tree line without giving her a chance to say whatever it was she was about to say.

 **XXXXX**

Leaning against a tree a short distance into the forest, Inuyasha desperately tried to get himself back under control. That had to be the most humiliating thing he'd _ever_ done and he'd done a lot of really, _really_ stupid things in his life. What _was_ that?! _"I can hunt and stuff_ "?! Did he _actually_ say _that_!? If only the earth was kind enough to reach up and swallow him whole. Trying to take a steadying breath, he slid down the tree and groaned. He didn't know how he was going to be able to face her again. Even in full demon form, he was a freaking _coward_ when it came to telling her how he really felt and it didn't help that his human heart had no problems saying _exactly_ how he felt about her. That was the _first_ thing that came flying out his mouth! Sighing, he got to his feet and in his frustration, spun on the spot and landed a kick with his full might against the offending tree cutting it in half and sending it crashing to the ground…really, _really_ loudly.

So lost in his own self-loathing and so loud was the din of the falling tree, Inuyasha wasn't able to realize there was a giant red ball of light heading towards him until it collided with his chest.


	17. Chapter 17

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

As he blinked stupidly up at the canopy, Inuyasha couldn't stop the muffled giggle that broke free. That little shit had actually picked up a new skill since he last saw her, a powerful new skill at that. Lifting his head, he grinned at the small girl a fair distance away hands outstretched in a defensive looking stance as she seemingly prepared for him to retaliate. Cocking his head curiously to the side, the sounds of Kagome clumsily trying to fight through the underbrush had both demons glancing over at her.

"Inuyasha! I heard a…." Kagome exclaimed worried before glancing at the assailant and waving happily, "Hey! Look it's Shiori!"

Slowly, awkwardly so, her hand dropped when the girl merely kept her eyes focused on Inuyasha and as Kagome's eyes followed the trail gouged in the earth beginning with the girl leading straight to the demon laying flat on his back, she couldn't hold back a very amused looking grin. Snorting once, Kagome soon devolved into full blown giggles, "Wait. **_SHE_** TOOK YOU DOWN?! This is _gold_. Where's a camera when you need one?!"

"Hey! It's not _that_ funny," Inuyasha mumbled, barely containing his equally amused half-grin, as he staggered to his feet and glanced over at the very perturbed and confused looking little girl whose pale violet eyes were darting anxiously between the two of them. Sighing he slowly approached her, his hands up in clear surrender as he whispered reassuringly to her, "I know I look different and my aura is different but I'm okay, I promise. Why are you so far from home?"

Looking entirely unconvinced, Shiori timidly relaxed her stance and quietly walked to hide slightly behind Kagome, "There was a woman who came to the village smelling something awful and she…she kept asking questions about the bat demon tribe. She said…uh….she…uh, forgive me but _why_ do you look like that again?"

"Long story," Inuyasha groaned before sighing when he saw that he wasn't getting off the hook so easily, "So..uh…so this lady I, um, _used_ to be with split me in half and…um, the human part of me is safe somewhere that lady can't get to and I'm… _here_ I guess."

Kagome knelt down before the small girl and looked into her face to reassure her that everything was just as how he had said. For a moment, Inuyasha allowed his imagination to run a little rampant as he watched them go. As Kagome took the white haired child's hand and the two began walking back towards the campsite, Inuyasha mentally kicked himself as the all too familiar pang of desperate longing crashed through him. It was almost too easy to imagine the little white haired girl was actually his and that Kagome was...was...

Sighing heavily, Inuyasha scowled as he gave the fallen tree a light kick before following after them.

 **XXXXX**

Kikyo sat on the small cliff chewing the inside of her cheek. It had been such a good plan. It would've worked too if she hadn't forgotten a crucial fact to the equation. The little girl was a half-demon. One who could apparently smell what she was. One who was not as innocent as a regular child and caught onto her scheme almost from the start. One who was apparently fast and stealthy enough to leave during the night without anyone noticing. One who was probably going to ruin everything.

Resting her chin on her hand, Kikyo blew a loose hair from out of her face when a faint demonic aura to the east caught her attention. Raising her head slightly, for a second, a split second she saw several bat demons before they shimmered and disappeared from sight. To an untrained eye, most would probably assume it was a trick of the light but auras didn't lie. Smirking, Kikyo gracefully got to her feet and began making her way towards the anomaly.

 **XXXXX**

"So, this woman said she was your friend but couldn't tell me the name of Shippo and, uh, couldn't tell me the last time she'd even seen you," Shiori answered as she finished off yet another cup of ramen. Apparently if there was one thing half-demons loved it was instant noodles. Tiny thing had already managed to down three packets all on her own. As Shiori finished her tale, her tiny brow furrowed and her tongue protruded slightly in her concentration as she tried to fish the remaining noodles from the clear liquid. Barely containing a giggle, Kagome grinned at the small girl before asking if she wanted another. Blushing, Shiori meekly nodded before sipping the remaining liquid like a proper lady, as though that statement reminded her that manners were indeed a thing.

"What did she look like? Did she give you a name?" Inuyasha asked wearily. He knew who it was, that smell didn't come from just anyone. His suspicion was confirmed when Shiori anxiously looked up at Kagome before whispering meekly, "Kinda like Lady Kagome, just with straighter hair I guess. She told me her name was Kikyo."

"She's no friend of ours," Inuyasha sighed as he rubbed a clawed hand down his face, "Well, at one point I had hoped she was and I guess she still could've been but anymore it seems like that's not an option..."

Inuyasha trailed off awkwardly and busied himself with his remaining noodles at the strange look both women were giving him. Clearing his throat and swallowing the last noodles, he gave them a strained smile and continued, " _Anyway_ , its good you told us and I'm impressed you're able to make your own barrier now and use it offensively. Since when could you do that?"

"Um thanks," Shiori muttered as her face flushed to a light pink as she added quietly, "I've been practicing since you all saved me those months ago."

"Well you're doing a good job," Inuyasha acknowledged giving her a soft smile, "Anything else you can do?"

Chewing the inside of her cheek, Shiori offered him a shy grin, "I, uh, can hide my aura and presence. I can levitate... _some_ \- still working on that. I _think_ I have a claw based attack - which I discovered on my way here actually- but I _know_ I can do that thing Grandfather can do - that sound blast. You remember? And then barriers like you saw."

"A claw based attack huh?" Inuyasha asked as he met Kagome's alarmed ones with a slightly amused look, "What does it do?"

"Well, so this demon rushed me and I panicked and swiped at him," Shiori sighed anxiously as she inspected her nails, "Well, instead of just cutting him, there were these three deep glowing gouges in his chest. I don't know any more than that."

Groaning inwardly, Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. Great, just _great_. They'd motivated that quiet little thing to train herself how to fight. Granted, she'd probably need to learn eventually given the world she lived in but...still, she was still so _young_.

"Well how about I practice with you some next time we stop to camp?" Inuyasha offered kindly, grinning when her eyes lit up happily, "You come from strong demon stock, I bet you can do a lot more than that."

"Inuyasha? Can I speak with you a minute?" Kagome asked, chuckling awkwardly as she tugged his arm to lead him into the treeline. Stuffing his hands into the fire rat he followed after her, completely confused but fully expecting to be sat at some point given the look she was giving him. Glancing over his shoulder back at the small girl, Kagome met his eyes and hissed, "She's only like four or five Inuyasha! She doesn't need to start learning now! Don't encourage her!"

"Well I _never_ learned until I had no choice!" he hissed back angrily, "If I had been training instead of trying to fit in and being coddled then maybe they wouldn't have been able to...to..."

Trailing off at the inquiring and concerned look in her eyes, he huffed and ran his fingers through his hair, "You want to know _why_ I got control for so many years? The humans that served my mother captured and _tortured_ me. This went on for _years_ , Kagome. _Years_. At the time, I didn't know how to fight or anything so I was an easy target. If she learns how to fight, and gets good at it, then something like that might not happen to her."

Upon seeing her open her mouth to argue, Inuyasha's control snapped as he towered over her and hissed agrily, "This _isn't_ your world. Here it's all half-demons can do to survive day to day. If she's trying to train herself, then she's smarter than most and if you say even _one_ thing to discourage her, I _will_ punish you. _Got that_?!"

Eyes widening in surprise, hurt and understanding, Kagome nodded meekly as she wrung her hands, "You're right. I'm sorry. Let's, uh, let's just go back."

Screaming internally at himself for snapping at her, Inuyasha reached out to gently touch her shoulder and as she turned, he pulled her tightly against him, "I know what you were trying to say. I shouldn't have threatened you. You...you just hit a nerve is all. She _is_ really young and it's sad that this is part of her life but...but please trust my judgment here, okay?"

When she nodded and squeezed him lightly, the demon sighed and pressed a light kiss on her forehead before intertwining his fingers with hers, "Now let's go back. I've never met anyone who loves ramen as much as me and I _really_ want to get her opinion of the shrimp versus chicken."


	18. Chapter 18

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

The night of the new moon was upon him. Sighing heavily, he knew Kagome was aware of the fact as well as aware it didn't have any impact to his being whatsoever but the biggest concern on both of their minds was that Shiori was swinging wildly between clinging desperately to Kagome's arm and trying to make up excuses to leave. A silent question passed in the glance they shot each other as Shiori insisted for the umpteenth time that she needed to leave to check on ' _something_ ' Kagome finally knelt down beside her.

"Tonight's your human night, isn't it?" Kagome whispered so quietly even Inuyasha had to strain to hear her but it was clear that the small girl heard her when she gasped and frantically shook her head, "N...no. I mean, what are you talking about? I'm...uh, I...uh..."

Violet eyes darted anxiously between the two giving her knowing and reassuring smiles before she swallowed thickly and nodded almost imperceptibly. Grinning, Kagome lifted the small girl onto her hip and looked up at Inuyasha, "Do you know somewhere safe nearby where we could spend the night?"

Once again, that damn feeling of longing built up in his chest before he shook it off and scooped Kagome and Shiori into his arms, "There's a waterfall just over this way with a cave behind it. I've...uh, stayed there many times, actually, in, uh, similar situations. It'll do."

Leaning up to place a quick kiss onto the jagged purple, Kagome giggled at the deep pink that bloomed across his nose.

 **XXXXX**

"Tell us what you know," the unseen voice hissed angrily, "We need more facts and answers before we trust one of the dead."

"Ah, I am indeed dead but that could change," Kikyo answered cryptically keeping her eyes trained on the slight shimmer in the rocks, "Inuyasha has been split into two beings by my hand. One human, one demon. He can no longer wield the sword that took down your former leader. He wouldn't be able to break any new barriers you could create."

"Why should we work with you and not just go kill him ourselves?" the voice quipped back, "What is it you want from us?"

"I merely need you the kill some villagers," she answer plainly, "and perhaps take care of a pesky priestess or two...but I doubt that will be necessary if all goes according to plan."

 **XXXXX**

As the sun set below the horizon, Shiori shivered as her translucent white hair darkened to a soft mouse brown and her pale violet eyes transitioned into a deep sapphire blue. Taking a shivering breath, the small girl seemed to withdraw into herself and stared at them with wide frightened eyes as though she immediately regretted letting them in on her little secret.

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," the demonic Inuyasha whispered kindly as he offered her a small smile before glancing at Kagome before meeting the small blue eyes once more, "Neither of us will. You're safe here."

Not seemingly entirely convinced Shiori flinched when Kagome reached out to move a stray hair from her face. Withdrawing her hand, Kagome sighed before gasping suddenly and turning to open one of the pockets of her backpack. After a few moments, she withdrew a small box of pocky and a bar of chocolate before turning around and offering them to the little girl.

"Have you ever had candy before?" Kagome asked as the girl stared incredulously at the strange packaging, "Its really sweet. It's for kids like you!"

Shaking her head slightly, Shiori grimaced apologetically before anxiously playing with some of the soft brown strands of her hair as she watched the demon Inuyasha plop down at the entrance. Feeling her gaze on his back, Inuyasha sighed and glanced over his shoulder, "I think Shippo prefers the strawberry pocky, Kagome. Did you bring any of those? Maybe she'd like that better than chocolate."

"What girl doesn't like _chocolate_?!" Kagome scoffed incredulously, earning a small giggle from the small timid girl who reached out to take the small box. Opening the small package, she tentiatively took a bite before her eyes widened and a grin broke out on her face as she began to snack with much more enthusiasm. Quickly devouring a few more sticks, Shiori quickly snatched the small chocolate bar out of the miko's hand and began inhaling that as well.

"See told ya," Kagome laughed as she stuck her tongue out at him playfully, "Girls prefer chocolate."

"Keh. Whatever," Inuyasha snorted as he adjusted himself to slouch slightly against the entry way, "You never give me chocolate so what do I know."

" _Well_..." Kagome chuckled nervously, "I mean...okay, don't take this the wrong way but chocolate can, uh, kill dogs and I was worried that..."

"OÍ! I'm not a fucking **_dog_**! I bet I can eat chocolate!" Inuyasha snarled making Shiori drop the piece she'd torn off onto the ground in her surprise. Fluidly getting to his feet, he stormed over, snatched the tiny square off the ground and popped it into his mouth before Kagome could stop him, "See! I'm _fine_!"

He was _not_ fine. Not ten minutes later, Kagome and Shiori were rubbing his back as he puked out the contents of his stomach over the side of the tiny cliff.

"You fucking..." Inuyasha paused to retch violently before clearing his throat and hoarsely continuing in a mildly playful yet miserably sounding tone, "you fucking poisoned me, Kagome!"

"I told you _not_ to eat it," Kagome teased lightly as she held his hair out of the way as he emptied his stomach again "And it's not poison per se, it's an _allergy_."

"Remind me about today _next_ time I try to do something that stupid," Inuyasha groaned miserably as he took a swig of water to wash out his mouth before collapsing on the floor and pouting, " _Never_ again."

"Never again," Kagome laughed as she reached up to run one of his fluffy white ears, noticing to her surprise that while he had noticed what she was doing, he wasn't stopping her like he normally would have. Shrugging inwardly, her fingers finally found their target and stroked softly earning a happy sounding sigh as his eyelids closed and he leaned into her touch. Giving the two distracted adults a knowing smirk, Shiori bit her lip as she stealthily snuck back over to the pocket in that yellow bag that held all that chocolately treasure. Boys didn't eat chocolate, after all and even if they did, Shippo wouldn't miss something he didn't know was there in the first place.


	19. Chapter 19

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"So, today we're going over how to use a bus pass and how to use the subway!" Asora chirped happily as she and the ebony haired Inuyasha walked down the street, "Oh, I always _love_ field trips don't you?"

"Sure," Inuyasha chuckled nervously. These lessons weren't all that bad but they managed to make him feel stupid all the same. Still he was proud of himself that he officially knew how to access the Internet, make a phone call, use most every appliance the Higuarshi's owned and even came to realization that his human form needed low prescription reading glasses. Probably his demon form too if he was really being honest but it wasn't really necessary to read a bunch in that form so that knowledge didn't bother him at all. All he cared about was making sure he was able to fit into this world in every way and if that meant he needed little glass things to read then he was going to use them god dammit. The girl was surprisingly not condescending in her lessons at all. She was all smiles and giggles and powder blue everything. He'd never seen her sneeze but he was pretty sure that if she did, glitter would be expelled and not snot.

"We're going to get off at the fourth stop on the subway," Asora prattled on gaily as they began their descent into the underground, "I need you to order two meals at Wacdonalds and pay for it using cash, okay?"

Groaning inwardly, Inuyahsa sighed and nodded. Math was hard and while he was getting better, pressure made an already difficult subject worse. Especially when it involved currency he didn't know existed until a few days ago.

"Oh, don't look so put out! _Geez_ , you'd think I'd've asked you to fly to the moon," the pigtailed woman snorted as she held out his card, "Okay, so swipe your card and wait for me on the other side."

After a few seconds of Inuyasha observing everyone else to make sure he wasn't about to make a fool out of himself, he swallowed his nerves and made his way through the entry. As he waited for the quirky little girl to make her way over, a man suddenly tapped him on his shoulder.

"Excuse me," a young ebony haired woman asked quietly, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Shaking his head, Inuyasha opened his mouth to respond in the negative when Asora came rushing up and grabbed his hand.

"Sorry! Gotta run!" she called over her shoulder at the woman whose eyes widened slightly before a strange looking passed over her face and she pulled out her phone. Giggling awkwardly, Asora glanced back to see Inuyasha staring at the woman and began walking just that much faster. That was close, _too_ close. At least with that one, it was still someone she _could_ trust. Although she had to admit, it seemed like a really stupid idea to have taken him out at all without giving notice to the pack.

 **XXXXX**

As Kagome's soft snores filled the cave, Shiori was making a concerted effort to stay awake but was failing miserably. She too it would seem never slept on the moonless night and it usually wasn't a problem. However, after having run who knows how far to reach them, she was having to fight tooth and nail to overcome the exhaustion coursing through her veins. When she huffed in frustration, the demon knew he couldn't ignore her struggles any longer. Sighing heavily, Inuyasha moved further into the cave to sit beside her against the damp stone wall and lolled his head towards her.

" _So_ ," he whispered quietly, "Why did you run away when you knew this time was coming up? What were you thinking?"

"I didn't want _her_ to find out about this," the small girl whispered back as she began idly braiding and unbraiding a section of her mouse brown hair for lack of something better to do, "and I knew that, uh, you guys needed to know what she was doing. I was just going to hide until morning but I should've known you would've been able to sniff me out. It's not that I didn't trust you, it was…"

"No one other than your mother knows you have a time like this. I figured as much. I was the same way back before I met Kagome. I understand your reasoning but we're going to protect you okay?" Inuyasha sighed as he pulled the small girl into his lap, "Now come here, you need to sleep. Nothing is going to hurt you so long as I'm here and you need your rest."

At first, tension radiated off the girl as she stiffly sat in his lap, her hands curled tightly against her chest. Slowly through, as his claws gently ran though her hair, she relaxed with a tiny sigh. Swallowing thickly, Shiori hesitantly rested her head on his shoulder and adjusted herself to be more comfortable. In no time at all, her breathing evened out and her heartrate slowed as Inuyasha gently rocked the small girl to sleep. Leaning his head back against the stone, the demon's crimson eyes diligently watched over both his wards as his ears stayed on high alert for any signs of danger.

And that is how Kagome found them a few hours later when she woke a few minutes before dawn.


	20. Chapter 20

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"Alrighty, you're _officially_ rehabilitated," the bubbly woman grinned as she finished filling out the remaining paperwork, "You've met all the basic requirements and I see no evidence of any long-term behavioral abnormalities. I'll just send this report right over and then you'll never have to see me ever again."

Nodding excitedly, Inuyasha could hardly contain his excitement before a curious look came over his face. Leaning back to make sure Ms. Higuarashi wasn't eavesdropping, he whispered quietly, "So you're a _girl_ …"

The woman's head shot up as she gave him an amused look and nodded. Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha added quickly, "What do girls like? Like what types of things should I do if I wanted to court a girl?"

"Oh, like a date? Dinner and a movie, I guess," Asora snorted before snorting lightly as she continued to scribble on the paperwork, "I thought you were _already_ dating Kagome. You haven't even asked her out yet? That's…that's really _sad_ actually."

Sighing, Inuyasha slouched down in the chair and frowned, "I mean, I thought we'd be together now that I'm here but…but she isn't acting all that interested anymore."

"Sometimes thing don't turn out like you expect," Asora opined sagely as she finished the last section and began to neatly even out the pages, "Maybe it's for the best. Maybe you'll find someone who is better for _you_ and she'll find someone who's better for _her_. Who knows? Life never works out quite like you think it will."

Grimacing, Inuyasha wasn't sure he liked that response at all. There were _two_ of him, after all, and only _one_ could end up with her now that he thought about it. From the get go, he'd just assumed Kagome would _naturally_ pick this side of him but he wasn't sure about that anymore. In fact, she hadn't acted like he was anything _more_ than a friend to him since he changed – the realization of which hit him like a ton of bricks and made him pale considerably under the woman's sympathetic soft gaze.

"Do you have any friends _outside_ of her? Maybe someone closer to your age would be better to ask than me," she asked before adding kindly, "I'm meeting my cousins is an hour or so to grab dinner if you want to join me. They're about your age, maybe a year or two older. They might know what to tell you."

Grimacing, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and shook his head. Unperturbed by his attitude, Asora continued on, "I won't tell them _how_ I know you, silly goose. Just that you're new to the area and I was showing you around. I think you'll really like them. As a matter of fact…" Asora smirked as she placed the paperwork back into her satchel, "I'm not going to turn these in _unless_ you come with me."

 **XXXXX**

It wasn't a pretty sight and it wasn't one that Inuyasha truly wanted Shiori to see but it was one that he knew was unavoidable. He knew she must've smelt the blood. As the reached the small cliff overlooking the small village, Kagome gasped in horror as she surveyed the scene. The village lay in ruins, and countless bodies were strewn about mutilated almost beyond recognition. With a shuddering breath, Kagome knelt down before the small girl who was clearly in shock as Inuyasha rushed through the village in search of survivors.

Her pale violet eyes were frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. Shiori was still in there, Kagome knew she must be, but her violet eyes looked straight through the miko to the ruins of the village she once called home. For a moment her face remained mostly stoic until, suddenly, it cracked when Inuyasha began slowly making his way back up the cliff carrying a limp body in his arms.

Grief surged with every expelled breath, always reaching higher peaks, never sufficiently soothed by her long intakes of the damp sea air. Tears began to spill from her helpless eyes onto the sandy gravel at her feet as Shiori looked upon the lifeless face of her mother.

Sinking onto her knees, Shirori's fragile looking fingers dug deeply into the earth before her eyes flashed red when she whipped an anguished gaze at the demon as he lowered her mother's body to the ground.

 _ **"You're going to teach me everything I need to know to kill the ones who did this."**_

Nodding once, the demon spared a stern glance at a torn looking Kagome that made it clear she was not to interfere.


	21. Chapter 21

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"Have you ever killed anything before?" Inuyasha whispered quietly as he ran with both girls on his back, "A chicken, rabbit, _anything_?"

Shiori shook her head slightly. The demon sighed shakily as he listened for anything nearby. Stopping suddenly he changed directly and charged into the forest. Up ahead was a small fawn, and its mother. Placing them both abruptly yet silently onto the ground, Inuyasha stalked them both silently before rushing forward and with one blow struck down the small fawn and slinging it over his shoulder. Dropping it unceremoniously in front of the tiny half-demon, he ordered bluntly, "Tear its heart out."

When Kagome opened her mouth to protest, she quickly snapped it shut at the threatening glare he sent her before turning his attention back to the trembling girl.

" ** _Do it_** ," he ordered again, no sympathy or kindness in his voice, "Its not hard."

With a deep shaky breath, a determined look came over the girl's face as she plunged her claws into the cavity and ripped the still warm heart straight out. Nodding once in approval, Inuyasha gestured to the deer running away behind him as he ordered again, "Now kill the mother."

Kagome watched on with wife horrified eyes as Shiori went off in its pursuit, "Inuyasha is this _really_..."

"I wanted to get a human but baby steps," he answered coldly as his crimson eyes followed Shiori as she stalked her pray, "She needs to learn."

"A _**human**_?!" Kagome squeaked before blanching when he nodded, his eyes still trained on the small girl, "You can't be serious."

"She needs to learn," he answered bluntly, "Next village we stop at I'm grabbing a little one."

 **XXXXX**

Kagome was absolutely heartsick. True to his word, the demon Inuyasha had snatched a small child - no older than two or three from the next village - and ordered - without _any_ hint of remorse - the little bat girl to kill her.

She would've sat him - truly she would have - if it wasn't for the glare he sent her that sent shivers down her spine. Gone was the sweet demon that cuddled a frightened little girl on her night of weakness. No, in its place was a cold, remorseless demon who was pleased when Shiori mercilessly killed the small child with one sonic blast and a quick finishing blow. Sure, he'd buried the small child afterwards but _still_...

"Demons will be harder to kill," he told Shiori simply, "I'll lure one out next chance I get. I'll make sure you're prepared to do whatever it takes to avenge your mother."

Rocking gently against the base of a tree, tears streaming down her face, Kagome couldn't stand the sight of him as he tentatively approached her and whispered softly, "I'm sorry you had to see that."

" _That's_ why you're sorry?!" Kagome croaked, "You kidnapped and all but murdered that child! How can you even live with yourself?!"

"You knew killing humans didn't bother me," he answered in a pained tone of voice as he reached for her, withdrawing his hand like it burned as she flinched away from him, "She needed to learn. She needed..."

" _You_ could have avenged her mother for _her_ ," she hissed back angrily, forcing herself to meet his anguished gaze, "You're just a...just a _monster_!"

"Kagome, I...I had to..." he protested weakly, his heart breaking a little more at the look of pure hatred in her eyes, "We need to..."

"Oh, there is no ' _we_ ' Inuyasha," she hissed, "I'm not going with you. I'm staying right here. You go teach her how to be what everyone _hates_ about demons. I want no part of it."

Recoiling at the acidic way she'd just said ' _demon_ ', he swallowed thickly and nodded once, his heart officially shattered beyond repair. Shakily getting to his feet, he couldn't say he regretted his actions. _Really_ he couldn't. Shiori needed to learn. Who knew what she would come up against in this world? Anyone and everyone was going to try to kill her. Sure, he'd protect her as long as he was able but...but he knew if it came down to it, he'd sacrifice himself - indeed he planned to - if it meant Kagome would be safe. If his hunch was right, Kikyo was planning on using Kagome as a bargaining chip. Either give her his human half or watch her torture Kagome to death in front of him. Standing up a little straighter, he turned and marched over to the now frightened looking Kagome, slinging her unceremoniously over his shoulder.

"You aren't staying behind, bitch" he ordered hoarsely as he tightened his grip around her waist as she struggled, "You can hate me all you want, go ahead and purify me into dust once this is over but until Kikyo is dealt with you're staying with me."

 **XXXXX**

Inuyasha had a plan. That dinner had actually been really illuminating truth be told. He needed to be more romantic - tell her she's beautiful, get her flowers or something and take her on a date. A real date. Once she got back, he'd prove to her what his human side had to offer and that he really could make it in her world. Now to earn some cash so he could actually do these things.

"Hey old man, I need to earn some cash," Inuyasha announced with false bravado as he entered the kitchen, "Tell me anything you need me to do and I'll do it in exchange for enough money to take Kagome on a proper date."

"Over my dead body," the grandpa snorted as he continued to read the paper, "No granddaughter of mine is going out with someone who can't even read."

Rolling her eyes and giving the now deflated, somewhat horrified looking boy a sympathetic grin, Mama got up and smacked her father in law lightly upside the head. As he rubbed the back of his head and frowned, Grandpa sighed, "Fine. Sweep and mop the shrine and I'll give you money for a movie but you better crack down on your studies boy."


	22. Chapter 22

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

When the slayer and monk arrived back at the village, they were aghast to hear of what had occurred both to Shiori's village and what demon Inuyasha had done. Sango flat out ordered him to leave, which he had refused, and Miroku couldn't stand the sight of him, refusing to stay in any room with him.

As for Inuyasha, he regretted his rash decision. Rage had clouded his judgment but...while there was probably a bandit or someone less innocent he should've grabbed, he didn't regret teaching Shiori how to kill. They wouldn't see it, couldn't even begin to understand how evil man could really be. They had never seen that side of humanity he was sure. Hell, they should've known how people felt about half-demons. They had all tried to kill him at first and they would've felt no remorse whatsoever so why was it so wrong to teach her to be prepared for the type of life she'd have to lead? Shiori was feeling more confident in her abilities to defend herself and while it did bother her that she'd done what she did, she almost seemed _relieved_ that she'd actually gone through with it. No, he felt his actions were justified, if not a little poorly executed. Still, despite his conviction, if Kagome didn't love his demon half _before_ , there was no chance in _hell_ she'd ever love him now - even if he were somehow to put himself back together again. Kagome had insisted on going home immediately upon returning and he knew in his heart she had no intention of coming back.

 **XXXXX**

"Kagome! Welcome back, dear," Mama enthused happily before she saw the look on her face, "What's the matter?"

"Where is he?" she sighed wearly, "We need to talk."

 **XXXXX**

 _"Wait_ , you want me to do _what_ now?" the human squeaked. After explaining what had occurred, Kagome had asked him to come back with her and recall his soul.

"He's too dangerous," she whispered, grief plain as day on her face, "You didn't see...he just...he didn't care at all about what he did."

Giving her a sympathetic look, Inuyasha ran his fingers anxiously through his short ebony locks before sighing heavily, "I won't do it. I'm sorry but he's right. I mean, he _shouldn't_ have killed a human, _especially_ a kid, but Kagome she does need to know what it'll _really_ take to survive. Surely you understand that."

Deflating visibly, Kagome flopped down on her twin bed and stared at the ceiling, tears welling in the corners of her blue eyes, "I miss you. Not you and him but _you_. When you were whole. I don't know you, either of you. You both are the same but...but you're not."

Sitting down beside her, Inuyasha rubbed her arm soothingly and nodded in acceptance as he whispered quietly, "You're never going to give either of us a chance are you?"

Biting back the sob that desperately wanted to break free, Kagome clenched her eyes shut and shook her head.

"I don't think I can, not _anymore_."

 **XXXXX**

Mournful crimson eyes watched the well from the sanctity of the Sacred Tree. As much as he relished in his freedom, as much as it was everything he had hoped it would be and more…none of it was worth a damn if she wasn't going to be part of his life any longer. That look of hatred - pure unadulterated hatred - from not just her but from all of them was more than he could bare. What was the point of being free if it meant he'd be alone again. Sure, Shiori would _probably_ join him if he were to truly leave the group. Where else did she really have to go? Perhaps he could merely become a collector of other small half-demons. He could form a new pack, a _strong_ pack but…nothing was worth losing the one he already had. _Nothing_. Even if he left, Kikyo and those demons would kill every last soul in that village and that was _not_ an option.

What a funny thing life was. Only a few months ago, he would've given anything to have been in full control. While, _yeah_ , he intended for Kagome to become his mate and, _yeah_ , he would've hoped she'd still loved him, he never in a million years would've imagined how deeply the loss of her bothered him. She couldn't even _look_ at him anymore, not that he blamed her. Even Koga – as much as he _hated_ his rival in love – had stopped killing humans because it bothered the beloved miko and yet what had he done? Ordered a child to kill another child in cold blood.

Sighing heavily, he leaned his head back against the bark of the Sacred Tree and groaned. Of all the stupid shit he'd done in his life, that had to be the worst…and the most _evil_. Everyone was right. He _was_ a monster, through and through. Only a monster would've done what he had done. Killing humans had never bothered him. _Never_. Yet that one child's death weighed heavily on his soul, if only for the fact that their death meant that his pack would never look at him the same again.

The scent of graveyard soil – still a distance away – had reached his sensitive nose hours ago yet he'd still waited – hoping and praying that he'd be able to at least apologize and say goodbye before he left but…he didn't want Kikyo to get _too_ close to the village, especially with the army of bat demons she'd brought with her. Maybe…just maybe if he merely turned himself over to her and did what she asked she'd leave everyone the fuck alone. Kagome wasn't coming back. It was a fool's hope. Casting one last mournful glance at the well, he jumped down from his branch and rushed to intercept the damn corpse that had caused all of this bullshit.

 **XXXXX**

Kikyo could've laughed at the scene before her. Without so much as stepping foot in the village, the demon had come to meet her, looking defeated, tired and weary.

"What do you want me to do," he asked coldly, "Just name whatever it'll take for you and those bat demons to leave and never come back."

"Bring me the girl and _Inuyasha_ ," she ordered, smirking at how he flinched when she purposefully referred to the human half by name.

"I won't bring you Kagome," he hissed angrily before delating slightly and adding, "But I'll bring him."

"I guess I must admit I'm not surprised," she answered simply, "Fine, the human will do and I swear we shall leave the village and your friends in peace."

" _ **Done**_ ," he responded coldly. Straightening up, he narrowed his crimson eyes before turning away to head towards the well. Pausing, he glanced over his shoulder and whispered morosely, "Wait here."

Watching until she was sure he was out of range, Kikyo smirked and spoke to seemingly no one, "Kill them all and once the human returns, bring me his head."

"It will be done," a gruff voice answered as dozens of bat demons suddenly shimmered into existence. As they took off into the night, Kikyo smirked and sat down beside the leader who had stayed behind. Glancing at the burly looking demon beside her, she let out a short laugh and sighed, "What a pity that this couldn't have been worked out diplomatically don't you think? All they would've needed to do was give me the human but those pathetic mortals couldn't even do that."

"It worked out in our interest," the demon answered simply, "Our tribe will be avenged. Your petty actions hold no meaning for us but I cannot say it was a pity."


	23. Chapter 23

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

"I have one final lesson," Inuyasha croaked hoarsely, trying to keep his voice steady as he untied Tessaiga from his wait and held it out, "We're going to see if you can weild this."

Taking the sword, Shiori looked anxiously at it for a moment before asking quietly, " _Why_? Are you leaving?"

Nodding once, he sighed, "If I do this, if I go, they've promised to leave and never return. I trust her word on this."

"You don't _have_ to go," the small girl whispered shakily, her violet eyes brimming with tears, "We can fight them. We're _strong_ and...and you could _stay_ and...even if you don't stay, _we_ could leave! Just you and me. I'd follow you _anywhere_. I don't have any place to go and you've helped me so much. Please... _please_ don't go."

"I'm not so sure that I've helped you," he whispered quietly, more to himself than to her, before shaking her head slightly and giving her a kind, pained smile as he gestured to the sword, "Go ahead, try it out."

With a shuddering breath, Shiori slowly removed the mighty Tessaiga from its sheath and her eyes widened in surprise as it transformed in her hand. It was surprisingly light and after he instructed her with a soft, hoarse whisper how to unleash the wind scar, she successfully managed the attack after a few attempts. Kneeling down beside her, he stroked her cheek and kissed her temple.

"Survive, okay? That's the most important thing. Revenge never did _anyone_ any good. Remember that," he cooed affectionately as he cupped her chin and used his thumb to brush away a tear that had broken free, "Now I've got to go. You'll see me again. Maybe not in this form but you _will_ see me. I promise."

And with that, he took off towards the well ignoring the small girl's anguished cry begging him to stay.

 **XXXXX**

The second he jumped out of the well, he felt the pull. A tear slid off the jagged purple mark on his face as he closed his eyes and let go. For a second, there was nothing - an almost impasse which confused him. As the well door slid open, however, there stood his human counterpart.

"Hey, good. You're already here," the ebony haired boy sighed in relief, "I was just coming to get you. Listen, I'm going to give you my half of the..."

" _ **No**_ ," the demon whispered harshly, making the human take an involuntary step back, "They're going to kill _everyone_ unless _you_ go back and return to Kikyo. She'll be waiting for you by the river outside of the village. I know that _sucks_. I know that's not what you _really_ want but for _once_ in your pathetic life, do something _bigger_ than yourself."

For a second, the human hesitated - questioning his choice to give his portion of the soul over to the demon side - and that split second was all it took for the ritual to be completed.

 **XXXXX**

Sad, chocolate eyes stared at the ceiling as they had been for the past several hours. There was no point trying to fit into this world if Kagome wasn't going to be a part of it. Yeah, he could keep having lessons and yeah, maybe he'd find someone else to love but, honestly, who'd ever understand much less believe his past. It would be a life full of lies and love nor friendship could ever be built on top of deceit. There was no point in continuing to fit into a life that just wasn't worth it any longer. With a heavy sigh, he sat up and reached for his shoes. The demon seemed to have a greater purpose anyway. There were so many half-demons who'd need someone to protect them and his demon half would do much better things for the world than his human half ever could. Carefully creeping up the stairs, he sighed in relief when he saw that Kagome's door was already open. Quietly making his way to her side, a tear slid down his face as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. He knelt beside her much longer than he should have, gently stroking her cheek and hair with trembling fingertips but he wanted his last moments on this earth to be by her side. He hoped she wouldn't be angry with him for his decision. They were still friends after all and she'd probably be upset when she learned what he'd done. He just prayed that she'd find it in herself to forgive him. Finally, Inuyasha knew he couldn't delay any longer and pressing his lips gently against her cheek, he slowly stood up and made his way towards the well. As he slid the door open, there he was...waiting for him. Although the demon's harsh words stung, he knew what he had said was true. From the moment he separated from the whole, all his actions had been selfish. Swallowing thickly he tried to formulate a proper response when a strange energy flowed into his chest and he panicked. No! No, no, no, **_no_**!

" _ **YOU FUCKING IDIOT**_!" the human screamed hysterically as the demon version of himself swayed dangerously and collapsed. Rushing to his side, his fingers shook as he pressed two fingers to the demon's neck only to find no pulse, " _ **Y** **OU GOD DAMN FUCKING...**_ "

 ** _\- BOOM -_**


	24. Chapter 24

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

Miroku sat bolt upright at the heart wrenching sound that filled the night air. It was a scream, likely a child, the primal mind crying out for the love that evolution has taught it to expect. It was the most raw communication, the most pure way one soul can ask another for help. The sound cut off unnaturally as a deafening roar reverberated through the village. Quickly grabbing his staff, he rushed out to the bizarre sight of the little Shiori unleashing the wind scar and Sango standing dumbfounded, already in full gear with Hirakostu at the ready but seemingly forgotten.

"What the _hell_ is going on?!" Miroku bellowed as he rushed to Sango's side to protect her back, "Why the hell does Shiori have the Tessaiga and how is it even possible she can wield it?!"

"I don't know," Sango answered – coming out of her daze as she crouched and prepared to throw her mighty boomerang, "We'll figure that out later, we've got bigger problems right now. Where the hell is that demon when you need him?!"

"Probably long gone by now," Miroku answered grimly, "I haven't seen him all day. Perhaps…perhaps we were too harsh on him."

"He had a child _kill_ another child, Miroku," Sango answered bitterly as she flung Hiraktosu at a particularly nasty looking bat diving towards a villager, cutting him straight in half. As the boomerang returned to her open hand, she sighed and shook her head, "He made his bed, now let him lie in it. We don't need him."

 **XXXXX**

Blinking sluggishly at the wall for a moment, Kagome furrowed her brow before her eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright in bed. There was no mistaking that aura and much to her dismay, the voices outside made her painfully aware that she wasn't the only one awake at this hour. Scrambling out of bed, Kagome rushed to throw on her house shoes and jacket before flying down the stairs - thanking anyone listening for having worn sweatpants and her bra to bed. The front door was still partially ajar but before she had the chance to reach it, the distinct fading of demonic aura and an earth shattering sound like a bomb exploding from the direction of the well and the building/floor vibrating under her feet had her stopping dead in her tracks.

Trembling, Kagome waited... _and_ waited... _and_ waited for the aura to reappear. Surely that sound meant they had become whole again, _right_? However, as the minutes ticked by, the aura failed to appear. Sinking to her knees, Kagome wrapped her arms tightly around herself and prayed silently that the worst had not occurred when mercifully the aura began making its presence known once more. Shakily getting to her feet, Kagome made her way to the door and out into the courtyard.

 **XXXXX**

" _ **THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM**_!" Sango screamed as her eyes wildly darted around the village, "Use the wind tunnel or **_something_**!"

" _ **I can't**_!" Miroku bellowed back as he flung sutras at anything that moved, "Its too risky! I could suck in a villager!"

" _ **WHERE THE FUCK IS INUYASHA?!**_ " the slayer screamed hysterically, earning a strained slightly amused glance from the monk who snorted lightly, " _Language_ , Sango. _Language_. There are _children_ present."

" _ **LECTURE ME ON LANGUAGE WHEN THIS IS OVER**_!" she spat back acidly as she sent the mighty boomerang into the fray, "We _need_ to know..."

" _ **HE WENT THROUGH THE WELL**_!" Shiori screamed as she flew up at inhuman speeds to stand beside them beside letting an attack fly at the encroaching horde, "He said that lady and the bat demons would leave if he did what she asked but he said I'd see him again in a different _form_. I think he went to get..."

"His _human_ form," Miroku groaned as he shook his head and deflated visibly, "Even after everything, that moron _still_ trusted that Kikyo would keep her word."

"So he was going to sacrifice his demon half to protect us," Sango groaned miserably, suddenly distracted by this new information as she straightened up and stared down at the small girl, "Did he say anything else?"

Letting fly another attack, Shiori nodded as bitter tears slid down her face, "He said he didn't really think he'd helped me but he did. I don't understand why he'd leave!? I'm grateful for what he did! I..."

As they let the small bat girl vent her frustrations, Miroku and Sango exchanged a quick, mournful looking glance before focusing on the battle before them. So the demon had felt some remorse after all. Perhaps they were too harsh on him but _still_...sacrificing a child was something that was going to take a long time to forgive, although it'd be much easier to make a timetable once they determined which form he'd be returning with.

"Well let's pray that perhaps he'll come back as he once was," Miroku sighed heavily as his hand hovered over the beads, ducking as Kaede fired an arrow over his head, "A human won't help us in this fight."

 **XXXXX**

Breathing heavily, Inuyasha tried to make heads and tails of the jumbled memories soaring through his mind and felt more disgusted with himself than he'd ever felt before. It wasn't just the memories from the past months. _Oh no_. Every moment that his demon half had suppressed flooded his mind. The years of torture, the pain he had endured so his human half would never know and a better understanding of the beast made his stomach churn uneasily. But in a way his fear of that side was justified. Once the small bat girl had been identified as pack, he had gone into an almost blind mission to ensure that she'd be ready to do whatever it took to survive. In doing so, even now that he was whole, there was no way any of his remaining pack would ever be able to look at him the same again. He barely wanted to live with himself, why would _they_ want to associate themselves with someone like him? Those two sides were equally terrible in their own way. Two parts of a greater shitty whole.

The worst part was the memories of happiness, _true_ _unbridled_ happiness, that filled his mind. Those weren't the only newfound emotions he had discovered, oh _no_. It had become _abundantly_ clear just how insecure he _really_ was. He knew that he carried around a bit of self-loathing - thus the desire to become full demon - but he never realized how deeply that went. His human half seemed to hate everything about his normal self and the demon part…he wasn't really sure how the demon part really felt about it. It's emotions were too convoluted and foreign to him to even begin to understand which only served to make him all the more miserable. In the past, he'd thought he'd known who and what he was but it made him to sick to his stomach to discover how wrong, how very wrong he had been. He barely knew himself anymore. His whole self-identity felt shattered beyond repair.

Tears welled up in his ears against his will and a choked sob escaped his lips as he withdrew into himself. Although he was…well, _himself_ again…he had _never_ felt more confused or devastated in his life. He knew he needed to go back and put an end to the inevitable fight before it began but…but he couldn't for the life of him find the will to move from his spot curled up against the well. It was taking every ounce of energy he had left just to keep his sobs to the level they were now without going into full blown hysterics. As he trembled and wrapped his arms around himself, Inuyasha knew he wasn't a man who cried either which only served to add to his general feeling of despair and made the sobs that much harder to control. He just couldn't snap himself out of it.

He was broken. _Truly_ and _utterly_ broken.


	25. Chapter 25

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

As Kagome anxiously approached the well house, she issued a shuddering breath at the sound coming from within. It was more than just crying. No, it was the desolate sobbing that comes from a person who had lost all hope. His voice was filled with more sorrow and anguish than she had ever heard before or ever cared to again.

"Kagome, I _know_ you're there," Inuyasha croaked hoarsely in between a shuddering sob, "You can _stop_ hiding from me. There's no point."

"I'm _not_ hiding from you. Why are you crying?" she whispered tensely, all anger and despair from the past few weeks fading to relief as her suspicion was validated when watery amber eyes met her blue , "What's going on?"

"Oh _I don't know_ Kagome. It's not like two parts of me were ripped apart and suddenly thrown back together again," he spat back acidly as he wiped his wet face with his sleeve, "Must be something _other_ than that."

Sighing shakily, Kagome knelt down beside him and offered him a warm half-smile, "But you're back together again. Doesn't that..."

"No, it _doesn't_ ," he croaked as a new barrage of tears broke free, "Don't even _bother_ trying to understand what I'm feeling right now."

"Try me," Kagome cooed, relishing weirdly at his rude behavior. Face crumpled in disgust, he clenched his eyes shut and cowered against the well, "She's going to kill _everyone_. _Everyone_ , Kagome. _None_ of this would've happened if I wasn't a weak, evil bastard. I should've just gone with her or been stronger or...or _something_. Instead they're all going to die because I couldn't do _one_ stupid thing right."

"Why don't we go back and fight to save everyone like we always do?" Kagome cooed as she knelt down beside him, grimacing as he cringed and tried to scoot away from her, "It'll be okay."

"How is it going to be _okay_? I can barely stop _crying_ like a pathetic worthless _idiot_. _How_ am I going to manage to get myself together enough to take down an entire tribe of demons and a crazy ex-girlfriend?" he chuckled darkly before his face crumpled in pain once more as he croaked hoarsely and tears continued streaming down his face, "Kagome, I...I just _can't_ go back. I trained a _child_ how to _murder_ by using another child. Because I was weak an entire village got _annihilated_ and another one is about to be. _Everyone_ hates me. I've lost _everything_! Friends, self-respect, my sense of self, you, and you know the _worst_ part! I was _happy_. For the first time in my life, I felt _so_ happy, Kagome. I've _never_ felt like that before, like I could take on the world, that the world was my oyster, that... _umpf_!"

The rest of his tirade was cut short when Kagome crashed her lips down on his and clung to him tightly. Choking back a sob, he pushed her away roughly and shook his head, "How can you even _look_ at me? You _hated_ both parts of a completely shitty whole. All I've ever done in this form is be a dick to you. I insult you, I run off to that bitch, I'm rude and violent and...even though they sucked, they were _nice_. They were able to say and do all the things I just... _can't_."

"I didn't _hate_ you. I just…just wanted the _real_ you back," Kagome answered shakily as she reached her hand and cupped his cheek, "Yeah, those two parts of yourself had good and bad aspects to them but when they're _together_ , they make _you_ and...and I've missed _you_."

When he tried to pull away, Kagome forcefully placed both hands on his face and made him look at her. Those beautiful golden eyes that she had missed so much said volumes, the most prominent thing it spoke to - _however_ \- was that he was broken. Those eyes told the tale of how he was trying to reconcile how different those two parts were, all the things they'd done and said, trying to make sense of his own actions, trying to force himself to pull it together and go back to save the day and _failing_ **_miserably_**.

"Your demon half was kind, a strong leader and fiercely protective of the pack but also ruthless and willing to murder without remorse if it served an end. Your human half was funny, charming at times, motivated and brutally honest about what he wanted but also selfish and immature," she paused seeing how he cringed and closed his eyes as though waiting for the axe to fall, "But...but when you're _together_...when you are truly _you_ as you were _meant_ to be, you are _Inuyasha_. An impulsive, rude, emotionally constipated, hot mess who would rather die before hurting one of his friends or an innocent and who has more subtle ways of showing how he cares."

Snorting lightly, Inuyasha let out a shuddering sigh and threw her a sarcastic look as he snapped halfheartedly, "Is that supposed to make me feel _better_?"

Rolling her eyes, Kagome continued as she stroked his cheek, loving when he closed his eyes and subconsciously leaned into her touch, "It _should_. You are a man ruled by honor and a sense of duty. A man who'd rather die than show any type of weakness, give in or beg for mercy. A man whose stubbornness knows _no_ bounds. A man who has lived a hard, rough, completely unfair life who has managed to overcome the odds and _still_ has managed to learn to trust again. A man who..."

"Why do you keep calling me a _man_?" he interrupted her hoarsely as his bloodshot eyes locked onto hers, "I'm _not_ a man."

Snorting lightly, Kagome shook her head and ran her thumb lightly down his cheek, "You _are_ a man. I've seen you _naked_ enough times to know a _man_ when I see one."

Shaking his head, he let out a shaky laugh as he gently lifted his hands up to remove hers from his face and lowered his gaze in defeat, "I'm a _half-demon_ , Kagome. Someone whose two halves _suck_ for different reasons. I'm not human or a demon. I'm just..."

"You are just _Inuyasha_ ," Kagome laughed softly as she pulled him to her chest, "One of a kind. I wouldn't have to you any other way."

For a moment, he shook in her embrace, clearly torn between desperately wanting to flee and desperately wanting to be held. Kagome couldn't help but feel a wave of happiness crash over her at the once again conflicted boy in her arms, who wasn't sure exactly what he wanted. It felt wrong but it also felt right to know that her permanently at odds hanyou was back. Slowly, awkwardly so, he slowly returned her embrace and sagged slightly against her as tears streamed down his face again.

" _I'm sorry_ ," he whispered miserably as he buried his face in her chest and wrapped his arms even tighter around her as though he was afraid she'd disappear if he let go, " _For all of it. I'm so, so sorry_."

"I know you are but, _honestly_ , did you ever doubt I'd forgive you?" Kagome whispered affectionately as she placed a gentle kiss atop his head as he half-sobbed, half-laughed and pulled her in a little tighter. Sighing after a moment, she pulled back and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, "Now, we have a dead miko to address and a pack of bat demons to take down. You coming with?"

Wiping his nose on his sleeve, he nodded once before standing and hesitantly kneeling down to allow her to climb atop his back," Let's go."

As he hoped atop the well, he paused for a moment before looking over his shoulder and offering her a timid smile, "I know I never said it before...well, I mean I thought you _knew_... but, uh, you know...you know that I...um...that I..."

"I know," she cooed as she relaxed more fully against him and sighed happily, "I love you too."

Nodding once, a final tear broke free as he jumped into the well and the blue light enveloped them.


	26. Chapter 26

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

" _Shit_ , I smell blood," Inuyasha cursed hoarsely as he launched out of the well and balanced for a moment on the lip of the well staring in horror at the bat demons descending on the village, "A _lot_ of…"

 ** _-THUD-_**

It happened so quickly and so unexpectedly that it took Inuyasha a few moments where he blinked stupidly at the spiritual arrow in his chest that was dissolving his flesh. Slowly, he staggered off the well as Kagome leapt off his back. Blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth and a cry completely unrelated to the pain ripping through his body wrenched from his throat as a bat demon swept down picking up his miko almost effortlessly leaving him behind to die all alone. Inuyasha's silver hair slowly dulled to a sickly grey and his amber eyes paled to a soft yellow as he sank to his knees and fruitlessly pulled at the arrow embedded in his chest, ignoring the massive amount of blood dripping sickenly onto the meadow grass. It was strange that he hadn't been purified instantly into a human or even killed outright. It was almost _delayed_.

 _Well, this_ _sucks_ _but if it buys me enough time to save Kagome..._

Forcing himself painfully to his feet, he quickly – if not a little unsteadily – raced after the bat that had captured the woman he loved, even as a ragged hole began to form in his chest around the still shimmering arrow. Luckily, he didn't have to go very far.

 **XXXXX**

" ** _GET DOWN_**!" Shiori screamed as she dove on her to stomach breathing a sigh of relief when all those around her follow suit just in time to miss a massive sonic blast that leveled most of the still standing huts to the ground. As much as she'd been practicing her own barriers, it was nowhere near big enough to cover all the people it'd need to - it was barely big enough to cover her own body much less anyone else's.

Closing her pale violet eyes, she exhaled shakily through her mouth in a display of calming her frazzled nerves before inhaling through her nose and freezing. She could smell his blood. He was hurt and badly. More than badly...he was dying. Pushing herself up, she slung the mighty Tessaiga over her tiny shoulder and took off as fast as her tiny feet could carry her towards the source. There was no way she was going to allow him to die.

 **XXXXX**

Inuyasha crashed into the invisible barrier with such speed that he almost seemed to be suspended unnaturally mid-air before he crumpled down to the ground gasping in pain as the arrow began glowing with more ferocity, the sound of sizzling flesh ringing in his sensitive ears alongside Kagome's muffled scream. Raising his dulled pale yellow eyes, he groaned softly in pain as he forced himself to his feet to face Kikyo head on.

"You have a choice, Kagome," she cooed to the girl struggling desperately against the bat demon who was seemingly immune to spiritual attacks as pink sparks were dancing around him like fireworks yet all he did was smirk. Kikyo drew her bow and nocked an arrow aimed straight at Inuyasha's heart, "I could save him. My spell has been purposefully delayed, if I were to remove the arrow he'd live to see another day. Either you surrender your soul to me, or I end his miserable life here and now."

Inuyasha's eyes widened when Kagome stopped her struggles for a moment and stared at him almost apologetically. Shaking his head, tears began to well in the corners of his eyes as he choked out, the words flowing out of his mouth in a rush, "Kagome. Don't do it. Don't. She'll probably kill me anyway. I'm not worth it."

Kikyo lowered her bow as she marched up to the weakened Inuyasha who growled and thrust his hand towards her chest onto to find it caught in mid-air.

"That won't work either," Kikyo leered as she sent a shockwave of spiritual energy through him, grinning evilly as he screamed and writhed in agony as his flesh bubbled angrily around her fingers, "My arrow has more than one purpose. You can't hurt me."

" ** _Kikyo! Stop! STOP_**!" Kagome screamed shrilly, managing to wrench her mouth free, "I'll do what you want but let him..."

"Don't...Kagome...please don't" Inuyasha begged hoarsely before Kikyo gripped his neck and sent another blast of spiritual energy through him. The scream tore through him like a great shard of glass. His almost translucent yellow eyes widened and his heart thudded like a rock rattling in box. His scream of pain came again, desperate, agonizing... _human_. For a moment, his body tensed up as he writhed fruitlessly against her grip before his eyes glazed over and he went limp in her grasp. Kikyo turned to give Kagome a victorious grin when a sudden rumbling in the bush had both mikos whipping their heads towards the tree line where as a handful of beings suddenly emerged armed to the teeth with various weapons. As Kagome glanced wearily at this freshest of hells, her mouths hung open comically at the sight of _Asora_ \- the strange social worker – and at least two dozen other half-demons clearly from her era walking up as though walking around in the past was nothing but a thing.

"Sorry we're late!" Asora announced breathlessly as she emerged from the treeline and waved lightly in greeting to Kagome as she gave her an apologetic smile, "Took forever to get everyone together but we made it!"

"Hey! If _someone_ had given us advance notice we would've been more available! Our bad!" a particularly tall boy with spiky neon blue hair barked back as he drew a few knives from his belt and held them at the ready, "You can talk all the shit you want but I left my job for a family emergency and had to catch three trains!"

"Oh shut up!" Asora snorted playfully before turning her head and narrowing her eyes at the completely baffled Kikyo holding a throughly bloodied and unconscious Inuyasha by the wrist. For a moment, all the new arrivals stared in horror at the scene before them before Asora screamed and shook with rage.

" ** _Bitch, I've heard stories but seriously what the fuck is wrong with you_**?!" the usually bubbly woman said with such acidity that it took everyone in the clearing aback. As Kikyo stared incredulously at the strangely stressed rescue party, Asora looked at Kagome whose eyes could not possibly get any wider, "I know, I _know_. Super weird how I'm here. I get it. Let us handle this shit and then I'll tell you anything you need to know."

Releasing Inuyasha's wrist, Kikyo drew her bow once more and aimed, "I do not know your business half-demon but you will not interfere."

"Aw honey, that's so _cute_ ," Asora giggled humorlessly as she and the others circled her, "You actually think that'll work on us."

"Half-demon or full, spiritual power has been the bane of your kind's existence since time began," Kikyo spat acidly, face crumpling in disbelief as the newly arrived group chuckled under their breath.

"Normally _yeah_ ," Asora cooed as she adjusted her ponytails and crouched, "But unfortunately for _you_ we're not _normal_."

As Kikyo let her arrow fly, Asora spun gracefully and with a simple gesture caught the arrow mid-air dispelling the spiritual energy instantly. Flicking it between her fingers in a playful manner, the social worker smirked and cocked her head to the side as she pouted playfully, "Like I said. You're too cute. Guys, get her and then deal with those bats."

As Kikyo scrambled backwards in an attempt to escape, a sudden scream echoed as a brilliant red light erupted all around them.


	27. Chapter 27

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

Kagome struggled against the bat's grasp as she tried to make sense of the situation before her. There was a literal army of half-demons from her era coming to their rescue on literally no notice and they were all seemingly immune to spiritual attacks. As long as they were on her side it didn't matter to her. What did matter was Inuyasha laying deathly still on the forest floor. His aura was still present... _barely_. Every time it flickered it felt like her own heart stopped.

A red haired young woman suddenly rushed up and with cat like agility jumped up, wrapped her legs around the bat demons head and flipped him over her body- flinging the giant beast across the clearing with impressive effortlessness. As she dropped to the ground in front of the miko, she gave Kagome a lop sided grin before their heads whipped towards a menacing red glowing blast that ricocheted - knocking down the trifecta attacking Kikyo as well as Kikyo herself. With a mighty war cry Shiori launched herself forward before freezing and blinking stupidly at the bizarre army amassed around her.

" _ **Holy shit! It's Shiori!**_ " the red haired girl exclaimed before slapping a clawed hand across her mouth and cowering slightly as half a dozen half-demons slowly turned to glare at her. Lowering her hand, she gave them all an apologetic smile before turning back to Kagome and lying lamely, "I mean, what?! _Wow_! That was some blast there, eh?"

"Who the hell are you guys?!" Kagome exclaimed agitatedly as she poked her finger into the young woman's chest, "And how the _hell_ did you get here?!"

"Hey now! We're friends, don't worry!" the fiery neko-hanyou snapped as she rolled her eyes before glancing over her shoulder and whispering excitedly, "How old is she? Like five, maybe six?"

"I think younger than that," Kagome answered awkwardly thrown off by the random question. The girl cackled as she turned and flexed her claws as she surveyed the scene, "I _knew_ that bitch lied about her age. I fucking _knew_ it."

"Alright I've had enough!" Kagome hissed as she grabbed the girl's chin and forced her emerald eyes to meet her own blue, "What the fuck is going on?!"

"Well, we're a pack of hanyou and we traveled from the future to help you guys. Name's Ayame. Nice to meet you," the girl answered simply, smirking when Kagome hugged in exasperation, "Once this whole mess is cleared up, we'll... _ **DUCK**_!"

As they hit the ground, Kagome looked up at the new onslaught on bat demons that had decided to grace the new threat with their presence before her eyes whipped back to Inuyasha who was currently being protected by Shiori. The little girl was trembling as she held her hands over him, extending her barrier as far as it would go to protect him and strangely, now that Kagome looked closer at the various beings fighting around her, all of the half-demons seemed to be slightly glowing with a similar red light.

"Notice that glow did ya," Ayame grunted as she leapt into the air gracefully and landed a solid kick into one of the demons sending them careening into the ground, "No point hiding it. Give her like three hundred years and that little itty bitty thing comes up with this whole little bobble that allows demons to go underground. It alters what people see, hides our aura, all sorts of shit. Protects us from spiritual attacks too. It's pretty boss. Normally can't see it but when she's focusing it amplifies our shit too."

"How did you get here?" Kagome asked as they ducked and weaved through the battle going on around them, "I mean don't get me wrong. I'm glad you're here but...but like did you come through the well?!"

"No," the girl answered casually before leaping into the air, twisting gracefully to give a powerful roundhouse kick to a demon getting a little too close and landed effortlessly to run beside Kagome again, "One of our pack can time travel. He brought us back. Now I've already probably told you too much so I'm gunna stop before I get my ass handed to me."

"Fair," Kagome groaned as she slid to her knees next to Inuyasha as pulled him into her lap. He was cold as ice but his eye lids were still fluttering. Without a second thought she tugged the arrow embedded in his chest free, weirdly relishing when his light eyes flew open and he yipped in pain. For a moment he panted heavily before he grinned weakly up at her, relief evident all over his face. Giving her a loving look, Inuyasha shakily lifted his hand to cup her cheek and sighed weakly, "You didn't give into her. You scared me for a second there.."

Biting back tears, Kagome shook her head as she let out a shuddering breath and gave him a watery smile. The battle around them didn't matter. She was confident in their strange new friends' abilities. All that mattered was Inuyasha - the true whole amber eyed Inuyasha laying alive in her arms.

Slowly, slowly the battle died down around them as the half-demons moved instead to defend the village before Asora's voice rang out behind her.

"You fucked with the wrong pack," the woman hissed angrily, "But your life is not mine by right to take. Your fate lies with him."

Groaning Inuyasha lolled his head to look at the dead miko defiantly glaring at him before unsteadily forcing himself to sit up - ignoring Kagome and Shiori's protests - and managed to get up to walk over to his defeated former love.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he whispered angrily as he obviously struggled to stay upright. Setting her jaw, Kikyo merely glared at him and narrowed her eyes. Sighing shakily, Inuyasha shook his head morosely before kneeling down beside her, "You died fifty years ago because I couldn't protect you. Because I failed. Today I am going to set you free, not as _punishment_ but to _save_ you. I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner."

Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha placed a soft kiss on her temple as he thrust his claws into her chest. As her false clay body crumbled to dust, a single soul lingered as the others escaped.

" _Thank you_ ," Kikyo's voice eminated from the glowing silver orb, "I _have not been myself for quite some time and now I am free to finally, finally move on._"

With those final words, the orb drifted lazily towards Kagome before depositing itself in her chest. As soon as he was sure Kagome would be fine, Inuyasha gave his love a lazy smile before his eyes rolled back in his head and the world turned to black.

 **XXXXX**

"There you go," the blue haired boy grunted as he deposited the batter Inuyasha in Kagome's bed, "I'll send a pack doctor over in the morning to see if there needs to be anything done, alright?"

Kagome sighed her thanks before going through the task of removing the very soiled firerat to see the full extent of his injuries. The battle was won with the help of her new friends. In a weird way, she was actually excited that there was now this possibility to bring other people from the feudal era to the future. Sango and her could have girls nights, actual girls night. Her family from both eras could meet each other. It was going to be lovely...if only she could figure out which hanyou possessed that ability.

When his chest was finally bare, she shuddered involuntarily at the mutilated mound of flesh before her eyes. It would be a wonder if he'd survive the night. His neck, arm and chest resembled a grotesque bloody combination of raw chicken, pus, warped plastic bubbles and hamburger meat. Pulling the first aid kit onto the bed, she quickly went to work before pausing when he furrowed his brow and his eye lids fluttered open.

"'Gome?" he whispered painfully as he turned his head to look at her, his pale yellows eyes still somewhat unseeing, "Did we win?"

Nodding, Kagome gave him a warm smile and leaned over to kiss his temple. Sighing happily for a moment, Inuyasha's face crumpled for a moment before he whispered so quietly Kagome had to strained to hear him, "Do they hate me? The others. Do they hate me?"

"No," Kagome chuckled as she once again resumed tending his injuries, "They took one look at you and agreed that you'd been punished enough."

"I look _that_ bad?" he grumbled miserably running his hand through his brittle grey hair.

"Uh huh, you look like shit, " Kagome snorted as he hissed when she began to apply anti-septic. For a moment, there was a comfortable silence before Inuyasha raised his hand to lay atop hers and intertwined their fingers. Giving her an affectionate smirk, he forced himself to sit up enough to place a passionate, lingering kiss on her lips before plopping back down and sighing happily, "I've always wanted to do that."

"We've kissed before ya know," Kagome grumbled warmly, giggling slightly. Slowly shaking his head, Inuyasha gave her a lop sided grin, "Yeah but _I've_ never been the one who started it and we've _never_ kissed when one of us _wasn't_ crying so you gotta admit that kiss was the best one yet."

Kagome couldn't help but agree...for the moment. The minute he was patched up she'd give him a kiss to remember.


	28. Chapter 28

**XXXXX**

 **The Breakup**

 **XXXXX**

 _ **Three weeks later...**_

Birthdays were a relatively new tradition but one they made a point to celebrate anyway. For those hanyou who didn't know their own birthdays - which was most of their generation - they had picked the same day - or they did whenever they had to change paperwork again. This go around they had all agreed upon this day in October in very _specific_ years.

What year they picked had to have _Friday_ the 13th.

It only made sense. A joke of sorts. It was their unlucky plot in life to be born hanyou. Or so they had all been told at one point or another. Their luck hadn't been all bad. Over the centuries a powerful hanyou and his miko mate had collected them and brought them into the fold of the pack. They had trained them to defend themselves and when they were fully grown, they were free to live life how they wanted but, honestly, what self respecting pack member would ever want to leave their family? And a family they were despite their immense diversity. Of all sixty three of them, there were only five related by blood. Inuyasha, Kagome, and their three children - the oldest of which was conceived before the well closed behind them on the opposite side of the well. As much as any child loathes to think of their parents having sex, that story was well known if only for the fact that it was the only rational explanation any of them could think of for why he possessed the ability to travel through time. It was a strange gift. He was able to go backwards but could never go forwards past the present as he knew it, much to his mother's disappointment. And none of them ever wanted to disappoint Mama. She could be even more terrifying than Inuyasha if you pressed the wrong buttons. Mama - as they called Kagome affectionately - was a special lady indeed. Upon purifying the jewel and wishing for it to disappear, Midiriko emerged one last time to bind her life span to Inuyasha's as a gift for finally being selfless enough to allow her to find peace.

It was a strange tale those two told them all. So unimaginable and far fetched that many of the newest pack members didn't believe their tale at first but one they were all told at one point in their lives. Mama and Inuyasha's lesson was always the same - given when a pack member needed it most - and it was true.

Never wish to be anyone other than yourself.

You are perfect exactly as you are.

 **XXXXX THE END XXXXX**

 **A/N: So ends my second fanfiction. Hope you enjoyed it!**


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